RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2017 Shades of the honeymoon couple checking into their hotel. "Ooh, have you got the bridal?" wonders the receptionist while looking up their reservation, and the bride responds "No, I thought I'd hang onto his ears until I get the hang of it!" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post BlackRat Posted January 13, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted January 13, 2017 Up at 06:30 to take Mrs BR's car to the tyre specialist to have two new front tyres fitted. Been using the same local family run business for over 30 years. Arrived just after 7, when it opens to have a nice cup of coffee and lots of banter as the tyres were all sorted. Stood outside in the beautiful crisp morning, with an awesome moon and a shooting star thrown in for good measure. I was th only customer so after another cuppa and a good natter I'm on my way with a years supply of self adhesive tyre weights......perfect for adding weight to wagons, coaches and of course the odd loco or two. 24 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2017 A'noon all. I'm afraid generic C&Cs will have to make do once again, so I hope that aside from thoughts of launching Lenovo laptops into the Sun, nothing momentous has occurred, in a negative sense at least. Windy and snowing lightly with more of either forecast for the weekend. Got a call earlier, asking if I could take a reserve shift tomorrow night and do a swap on Sunday, both of which I confirmed. This means my work tomorrow won't start before 1945, so I'll have all day for myself. Enjoy whatever you're up to... 19 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2017 I always slip our Binmen $20.00 at Christmas and it covers a multitude of sins for the year... Although I must say that my supplied bin is nearly as tall as me and since they collect twice a week filling it is difficult, except on 4th July week when they only collect once per week. Of course if my daughter is home I can fill it fairly well. Simiiarly I always give the same to the Mailman - it’s worth it I find. Best, Pete. Our binmen always get a multipack of bottled beer from us at Christmas and the milkman gets a fiver but the Posties don't get anything as we don't have a settled situation on the round and (unless things have changed) they have never pooled their Christmas tips. here). 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Our binmen always get a multipack of bottled beer from us at Christmas and the milkman gets a fiver but the Posties don't get anything as we don't have a settled situation on the round and (unless things have changed) they have never pooled their Christmas tips. here). I've always looked after the bin men at Christmas, and the occasional cold drink in the summer........ I've never ever had an issue with anything I throw out either............ 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhBBob Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Late again ! Had to set alarm to take SWMBO to hairdressers for 9 and on to Asda so no early report. Happily the tidal surge/high tide at 6.30 am did not cause serious flooding and the snow was receding although the A16 was quite hairy - always noticeable when HGVs stick to 40 mph ! Even higher tide forecast for 6 pm tonight and, since the Army contingent from Yorkshire are staying on for another 24 hours, it needs to be taken seriously. Praise for the men who built humpback bridges on the drains/dykes in town as this prevented the floods from reaching Daughter's property in 2013. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Abel Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Morning, POETS is a welcomed arrival. Of course, being in the dungeon still (Tuesday-Friday this week), means that even though I technically POE, that's just to head to JFK and hopefully an on-time flight home, putting me there around 7:30PM, so therefore NOT POE! Snow drifts: Hmmm, have to laugh - don't get me wrong, as stated yesterday I appreciate that location makes all the difference for perceived levels of weather conditions - BUT, they normally only talk about drifts here when we get some strong winds during/after reasonable accumulations and the snow along edges/corners is DRIFTING 2-3 FEET OR MORE higher than the surrounding areas. 1/4 and 1/2 inch layers aren't "drifts" Beards: Had one off-and-on. In the IT business, when working in-house for companies it wasn't too much of an issue, but when consulting there's EVEN NOW more a perceived expectation of being well qualified if clean-shaven, at least in many of the larger corporations, it seems! Given that I've been predominantly a consultant (with a few different firms over the years) for close to the last 20+ years I've tended to be clean-shaven. Not really fussed either way. Sometimes at weekends I don't shave and it feels OK, sometimes I feel the need to have that "smooth" sensation. Cockwombles/a$$hats: The IT department sys. admin for the project continues to be a confused disinterested incompetent, frustrating the finance department staff "I" am responsible to/report to. Net result we've waited TWO DAYS now for a task that "if I had the security access" I could have accomplished in 5 minutes when we decided the change was needed. Suffice to say, that I will not NOW be able to test the effect of the task before I leave. With this client, attempting some types of testing, with users input remotely, simply doesn't happen <sigh> Right then, with barely 4 hours left and counting before I POE, I leave you with the weather report from here and there (to plagiarize the Two Ronnies "it's goodnight..."); Here: 9 and sunny, that'll be the high - warning on the news though this AM, it'll be "very cold" tomorrow, blimey they're going to be -3 overnight and only +1 for a high - horrors!! There: -20 and overcast now, -12 for a high, expected to be a balmy -14 when I step off the plane. Hope your POEs go as planned where possible, and the weekend start well for you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judge Dread Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) I've always looked after the bin men at Christmas, and the occasional cold drink in the summer........ I've never ever had an issue with anything I throw out either............ I also treat our bin men. They look after my wife and I to the extent of not only returning our bin to it's normal place in our yard but when the bin was not put out because we were away on holiday, they extracted it for us. I did tell them that I was a double ex council employee, an electrician with the engineering department. They thought it a miracle that anyone would return to such employ and a bigger miracle the council would take anyone back. I didn't tell them that upon that second tour which only lasted six weeks, I transferred to our telephone department which was a council run one (the only one in the U.K.) and therefore that would qualify me to claim a third tour of duty. I lasted 22 years there and retired in 2003 Edited January 13, 2017 by Judge Dread 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2017 Our Bin men are contractors now, we never see them, and they often miss us, so beer there. The Posties are by van and also it depends who's on the round, so No beer there. We gave up having a milkman, once they started not coming round every day, so no Beer there. The man from amazon used to get a cup of tea occasionally but now we never get the same man / woman twice, so no beer there either. So Christmas is not expensive. Preparations for the great switch off at 18:00 tonight at work, not only do we have to switch everything all off, but in the labs all the equipment has to be moved out from the walls so they can replace every socket with RCD sockets. Two of the outer lab personnel are coming in Sunday afternoon / evening to switch the essential stuff back on... Am I expecting to be able to work straightaway Monday? No and I've two major equipments to do next week with no spare leeway in time... The snow is melting, it's blowing 55mph out there, the airport has reopened, but they are still worried about tonight's high tide.. Back to heaving racks of equipment around.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Our Bin men are contractors now, we never see them, and they often miss us,.... Cost-cutting has also reached such obsessive depths in some areas that some councils are already moving to once-a-month collections, never mind once a week, so you may never see a binman ever again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium southern42 Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2017 Unless you get behind one. They all seem to have two-stroke engines and stink something 'orrible. Every time one passes me on a ski slope it makes me want to puke. There are those over here who want to mix and match walkers, cyclists and off-roaders. Why? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Tony_S Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted January 13, 2017 Back from our walk down to the creek. The high tide was just below the old sea defence level but well below the new ones. We had a wander down to the flood barrier which was open as the tide was just going out. The wind was causing waves in the creek which is not usual. Anyway, all very bracing and we enjoyed the minestrone soup and bread for lunch. Tony 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohmisterporter Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Stewart, we noticed the ladder up to your dormer and thought perhaps you had a leak. Leaks from one part of the roof usually appear through the first hole they can find, sometimes yards away from the leak spot. If the insurance company will pay for it all well and good. On the subject of beards I got the same response as Jamie when I grew mine. "You look like the Yorkshire Ripper", so off it came. I tried an electric shaver for some time but I was uneasy as to where the shavings were going to. Supposed to be collected in the shaver head I think, but I could see plenty on my chest when I'd finished. How much had gone up my nose and into my airways? I gave it up and have wet shaved ever since. Good luck to everybody facing weather problems and stay safe all. 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Greetings all. I have been stressed by a leaking seal to the immersion heater and it turns out a pinprick leak in the tank itself, coupled with a frozen gate valve Made worse by the failure of the service I pay for (Home Care) to provide timely remedial actiion. In the end we couldn't wait until the earliest possible date for the Home Care to arrive by which time the tank would probably have found itself in the kitchen below. A valiant effort by the emergency plumber has got us a solution for the time being but it has only strengthened the resolve to update the central heating system sooner rather than later. My blood pressure is returning to normal. Two tasks remain; to go and have another check of the tank,and to phone the homecare lot to cancel Monday's appointment. It has also probably meant that the future work will not be given to British Gas! Congratulations and commiserations as appropriate and have a good weekend. We're finally seeing my Sister for Christmas! As for beards, well giving away my appearance might diminish my Lurking mystique Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2017 Well, the builder came as promised, and yes he arrived just about as promised about 1pm. His findings were NOT all that favourable as there was a hole and a dent in the copper with pieces of broken roof tile lying to the sides, and it looks as if somebody around here has lost a tile and we found it. He also found that the wind has lifted an edge of the copper, and it has all blown off the boarding beneath. He's made a temporary repair, and is providing an estimate for a new roof, and he has confirmed to me and I to my insurer, that this is weather damage. There's little internal damage that we can find, so that's something. Now then, beards. I grew one when I was in my mid 20s after being asked if I was over 18 when I was buying beer in an off licence! I started with a full set, but as I had some follicle damage to my chin thanks to a close encounter with a lighted fag many years ago when somebody blundered into me with the offending object sticking from her gob, I had quite a big bald patch, so modified to a goatee, which I have now worn for over 30 years. Post today brought two reminders of my advancing years - a reminder that my mortgage ends just after my 65th birthday, and in the same bundle was a letter asking me to call to claim my State pension. Back later/tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightengine Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) I did say zebra crossing which are those protected By Hoare-Belisha Beacons. Traffic light controlled crossings are a completely different ball game. Zebra crossings you are supposed to place one foot on the crossing to indicate that you wish to cross and then the traffic should stop before you cross. The others you just press the button, wait for the little green man (or Horse) and then cross. They've just closed Norwich airport due to snow... Ohh the flood warning (lowest level) now surrounds the area I live, we now could be an Island again, as we were in Roman times or the 1953 floods... About an hour ago I crossed at the same crossing as the guy was airlifted from yesterday. 2 steps onto the crossing and a chelsea tractor passed me on my side. I waved my empty shopping bag in his windscreen as he passed and shouted effing . He slowed and carried on. Censored word is similar to twit Edited January 13, 2017 by lightengine Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2017 About an hour ago I crossed at the same crossing as the guy was airlifted from yesterday. 2 steps onto the crossing and a chelsea tractor passed me on my side. I waved my empty shopping bag in his windscreen as he passed and shouted effing ######. He slowed and carried on. The behaviour of motorist such as that is probably the best argument I know for the relaxation of firearms laws in Britain and allowing pedestrians to carry .50 calibre Brownings (if they fit enough to bear the weight of course). 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2017 On a Thameslink service out of LBG and its just used the new fly under at Bermondsey. It's possible that we have used it before but it's been too dark to notice. Hopefully will make a connection with another Thameslink at East Croydon. Weekend awaits. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jonny777 Posted January 13, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted January 13, 2017 My slide scanning is proceeding slowly but nostalgically. Here is 45130 at St Pancras in 1982 - 24 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2017 That image is the peak of perfection Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2017 About an hour ago I crossed at the same crossing as the guy was airlifted from yesterday. 2 steps onto the crossing and a chelsea tractor passed me on my side. I waved my empty shopping bag in his windscreen as he passed and shouted effing ######. He slowed and carried on. Censored word is similar to twit The last time i had an altercation with a motor vehicle at a pedestrian crossing, I was fortunate enough to be both nimble on my feet and to be carrying my tungsten tipped walking stick. My stick somehow ended up in the horizontal position and accidentally scored the front and rear wings and both nearside doors. It made a terrible noise............. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2017 .................I don't suppose holding it with both hands like one does when practicing using the bayonet helped the situation. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) I thought some of our readers might be interested in this FROM AN SR-71 PILOT....... Very interesting read.... In April 1986, following an attack on American Soldiers in a Berlin disco, President Reagan Ordered the bombing of Muammar Qaddafi's Terrorist camps in Libya ... My duty was to fly over Libya , and take Photographs recording the damage our F-111's Had inflicted. Qaddafi had established a 'line of death,' A territorial marking across the Gulf of Sidra , Swearing to shoot down any intruder, that crossed The boundary. On the morning of April 15, I rocketed past the line at 2,125 mph I was piloting the SR-71 spy plane, the world's Fastest jet, accompanied by a Marine Major (Walt), The aircraft's reconnaissance systems officer (RSO). We had crossed into Libya , and were approaching Our final turn over the bleak desert landscape, when Walt informed me, that he was receiving missile Launch signals. I quickly increased our speed, calculating the time It would take for the weapons, most likely SA-2 and SA-4 Surface-to-air missiles, capable of Mach 5 - to reach Our altitude. I estimated, that we could beat the rocket-powered Missiles to the turn, and stayed our course, betting Our lives on the plane's performance. After several agonizingly long seconds, we made The turn and blasted toward the Mediterranean ... 'You might want to pull it back,' Walt suggested. It was then that I noticed I still had the throttles Full forward. The plane was flying a mile every 1.6 seconds, well Above our Mach 3.2 limit. It was the fastest we would ever fly. I pulled the throttles to idle, just south of Sicily , But we still overran the refueling tanker, awaiting us Over Gibraltar ..... Scores of significant aircraft have been produced, In the 100 years of flight, following the achievements Of the Wright brothers, which we celebrate in December. Aircraft such as the Boeing 707, the F-86 Sabre Jet, And the P-51 Mustang, are among the important machines, That have flown our skies. But the SR-71, also known as the Blackbird, stands alone As a significant contributor to Cold War victory, and as the Fastest plane ever, and only 93 Air Force pilots, ever steered The 'sled,' as we called our aircraft. The SR-71, was the brainchild of Kelly Johnson, The famed Lockheed designer, who created the P-38, the F-104 Starfighter, and the U-2. After the Soviets shot down Gary Powers U-2 in 1960, Johnson began to develop an aircraft, that would Fly three miles higher, and five times faster, than The spy plane, and still be capable of photographing Your license plate. However, flying at 2,000 mph would create intense heat On the aircraft's skin. Lockheed engineers used a titanium alloy, to construct More than 90 percent of the SR-71, creating special tools, And manufacturing procedures to hand-build each of the (40 planes.. (WoW ! ! ! 40 planes???? I thought only 7.) Special heat-resistant fuel, oil, and hydraulic fluids, that Would function at 85,000 feet, and higher, also had to be Developed. In 1962, the first Blackbird successfully flew, and In 1966, the same year I graduated from high school, The Air Force began flying operational SR-71 missions. I came to the program in 1983, with a sterling record And a recommendation from my commander, Completing the weeklong interview, and meeting Walt, my partner for the next four years. He would ride four feet behind me, working all the Cameras, radios, and electronic jamming equipment. I joked, that if we were ever captured, he was the spy, And I was just the driver. He told me to keep the pointy end forward. We trained for a year, flying out of Beale AFB in California , Kadena Airbase in Okinawa , and RAF Mildenhall in England .. On a typical training mission, we would take off near Sacramento , refuel over Nevada , accelerate into Montana , Obtain a high Mach speed over Colorado , turn right over New Mexico, speed across the Los Angeles Basin, run up The West Coast, turn right at Seattle , then return to Beale. Total flight time:- Two Hours and Forty Minutes. One day, high above Arizona , we were monitoring the radio traffic, of all the mortal airplanes below us. First, a Cessna pilot asked the air traffic controllers to check his ground speed. 'Ninety knots,' ATC replied. A Bonanza soon made the same request. 'One-twenty on the ground,' was the reply. To our surprise, a navy F-18 came over the radio, with a ground speed check. I knew exactly what he was doing. Of course, he had a ground speed indicator in his cockpit, but he wanted to let all the bug-smashers in the valley, know what real speed was, 'Dusty 52, we show you at 620 on the ground,' ATC responded. The situation was too ripe. I heard the click of Walt's mike button in the rear seat. In his most innocent voice, Walt startled the controller by asking for a ground speed check from 81,000 feet, clearly above controlled airspace. In a cool, professional voice, the controller replied, 'Aspen 20, I show you at 1,982 knots on the ground.' We did not hear another transmission on that frequency, all the way to the coast. The Blackbird always showed us something new, each aircraft possessing its own unique personality. In time, we realized we were flying a national treasure. When we taxied out of our revetments for take-off, people took notice. Traffic congregated near the airfield fences, because everyone wanted to see, and hear the mighty SR-71. You could not be a part of this program, and not come to love the airplane. Slowly, she revealed her secrets to us, as we earned her trust.. One moonless night, while flying a routine training mission over the Pacific, I wondered what the sky would look like from 84,000 feet, if the cockpit lighting were dark. While heading home on a straight course, I slowly turned down all of the lighting, reducing the glare and revealing the night sky. Within seconds, I turned the lights back up, fearful that the jet would know, and somehow punish me. But my desire to see the sky, overruled my caution, I dimmed the lighting again. To my amazement, I saw a bright light outside my window. As my eyes adjusted to the view, I realized that the brilliance was the broad expanse of the Milky Way, now a gleaming stripe across the sky. Where dark spaces in the sky, had usually existed, there were now dense clusters, of sparkling stars. Shooting Stars, flashed across the canvas every few seconds. It was like a fireworks display with no sound. I knew I had to get my eyes back on the instruments, and reluctantly, I brought my attention back inside. To my surprise, with the cockpit lighting still off, I could see every gauge, lit by starlight. In the plane's mirrors, I could see the eerie shine of my gold spacesuit, incandescently illuminated, in a celestial glow. I stole one last glance out the window. Despite our speed, we seemed still before the heavens, humbled in the radiance of a much greater power. For those few moments, I felt a part of something far more significant, than anything we were doing in the plane. The sharp sound of Walt's voice on the radio, brought me back to the tasks at hand, as I prepared for our descent. The SR-71 was an expensive aircraft to operate. The most significant cost was tanker support, and in 1990, confronted with budget cutbacks, the Air Force retired the SR-71. The SR-71 served six presidents, protecting America for a quarter of a century. Unbeknown to most of the country, the plane flew over North Vietnam , Red China , North Korea , the Middle East , South Africa , Cuba , Nicaragua , Iran , Libya , and the Falkland Islands . On a weekly basis, the SR-71, kept watch over every Soviet Nuclear Submarine, Mobile Missile Site, and all of their troop movements. It was a key factor in winning the Cold War. I am proud to say, I flew about 500 hours in this aircraft. I knew her well. She gave way to no plane, proudly dragging her Sonic Boom through enemy backyards, with great impunity. She defeated every missile, outran every MiG, and always brought us home. In the first 100 years of manned flight, no aircraft was more remarkable. The Blackbird had outrun nearly 4,000 missiles, not once taking a scratch from enemy fire. On her final flight, the Blackbird, destined for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum , sped from Los Angeles to Washington in 64 Minutes, averaging 2,145 mph, and setting four speed records. Edited January 14, 2017 by shortliner 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 The gas man cometh, at least we hope he cometh because the propane tank must be needing refilled by now. The path to the tank is covered in deep snow. I tried to clear it with the tractor but promptly got stuck. No problembo! All I have to do is hook up the snow blower to the back of the tractor. Now, here did I leave the snow blower? Oh yes. It's about twenty feet beyond the propane tank. Better start shovelling. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 .................I don't suppose holding it with both hands like one does when practicing using the bayonet helped the situation. They don't like it up 'em. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now