Early Risers.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

No frost here either but I agree with Duncan that it does feel cold. I must be getting old.   Forecast says it will stay cold and be mainly cloudy.

Chris was collected again by her friend at 4.30 and after tea I again went back to bed. I could get used to this but unfortunately after 2 more days next week we shall revert to normal with me as taxi driver.

More shopping needed today because quite a lot of things we wanted weren't available at the new store (Brand new store so that's not very promising)

After that I shall be mainly wielding my trusty Swann-Morton (don't panic!)    as I'm doing a small task for Abbie for her forthcoming 18th birthday party next month. I can't believe that my beautiful first granddaughter has almost reached this milestone.

One parcel arrived yesterday containing a couple of vent vans, a similar one is expected today. They will then need the couplings changing and quite a lot of weathering. In fact most of my rolling stock needs weathering.

Onward & upward & have a good one,
Bob.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Just above 0C and cloudy rather than foggy.

We are off to Basildon today. Aditi has an appointment at the hospital's fracture clinic at 10.30.

Tony

[roundhouse]

Morning.

 

I haven't felt so ocld in a long time. We had to walk to the station which wasn't too bad but had a half hour wait for our train . We decided that as it was he first time this year (and since early December) that it has called at Redhill we would catch it rather than he earlier Thameslink. However as the doors closed on the Thameslink train ours had a problem wth the onboard door cameras as Salfords. So it was quite late plus the heating was set very low once we boarded it.

 

Now in the office warming up.

Edited January 26, 2017 by roundhouse

[Smiffy2]

Good morning all, still a bit grey here on the Riv.

 

Andy - can I echo Ashcombe's plea - join a union. For a teacher not to be in one is a huge risk. And they will help if you are a member, they have no obligations to you if you are not. My own union was the ATL, but our local NUT man was excellent, as was the NAS/UWT.

 

Today's task is to become the treasurer of the local Forum of School Governors. Which essentially means demanding money with grimaces from the school governing bodies, and paying for the room. The council supplies the biscuits. Then looking after the grand-daughters.

 

We're worried about #1 son's health at the moment. He's having checks on his bladder. After I almost lost my best friend last year with bladder cancer it's in all our minds. I am desperately hoping it's just an infection. He's 40 with two young girls and a big mortgage.

 

So I didn't go to bed and I've spring-cleaned the living room, which now reeks of beeswax furniture polish!

 

Fair winds and happy landings to all, as the dappled mare of the week backs into the warm stall of the weekend. Well, almost.

[lightengine]

Morning.

I haven't felt so ocld in a long time. We had to walk to the station which wasn't too bad but had a half hour wait for our train . We decided that as it was he first time this year (and since early December) that it has called at Redhill we would catch it rather than he earlier Thameslink. However as the doors closed on the Thameslink train ours had a problem wth the onboard door cameras as Salfords. So it was quite late plus the heating was set very low once we boarded it.

Now in the office warming up.

good news yesterday regarding the TOC.

[jamie92208]

Morning all, slightly late, from a village that is a bit overcast.  As I'm still on my own I stayed in bed and read for an hour after I woke up.  The cats finally persauded me that my duty lay in getting them fed, it's amazing what a paw gently dragged across your forearm, with just a hint of claw in it will do.   They are now fed and breakfast has been consumed.  

 

Much work is needed on the bridge today as the boss returns tomorrow and all evidence, or at least as much as I can find, must be removed from the scene of the crime.  I did however cover the table in a rug before starting work.  

 

Andy, I hope that things progress with wyou.  Forming a plan and then starting to implement it is a good start.  Even if those around you at work don't know the details it just makes you better able to face the daily challenges that life brings.  It certainly helped me when I was in a very bad place with work related stress.  

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

Edited January 26, 2017 by jamie92208

[New Haven Neil]

Morning.

 

Day off for the funeral, for the father of the old farts bike club organiser.  Bike cavalcade to follow the hearse......it's 4c and blowing razor blades here.  Decision to take Mrs NHN's BMW that despite being three generations older than Black Rat's version, still has heated handlebar grips!  I'll have to clean it afterwards as the roads were salted last night.  Gloom.

 

PS - Mrs NHN is at work, she'll never know......

[Tony_S]

I think I would have liked heated handlebar grips when I had a motorbike. One horrible December I was riding from Canterbury to Solihull and I had to get off every 15 miles or so to warm my hands on the cylinder block.

[DDolfelin]

 

I see that some have been pouring scorn on morris dancing.  As I see it, this is an activity that calls for physical fitness, agility, stamina, co-ordination and mental alertness.  Clearly some people cannot do it because they lack one or more of those attributes.  I admire those who do.  Furthermore, I am insanely jealous of the amount of beer that some of them consume!  Morris dancers can defend themselves.  Some carry staves made of good English willow which are supposed to go with the dances.  For all I know some have been used in anger ...  We pursue a hobby that is vulnerable to ridicule by the ignorant.  It is unwise for any of us to treat morris dancing similarly. 

 

 

 

I wonder where the face off between Railway Modellers and Morris Dancers might occur?

Brighton perhaps?

Should make good TV.

[lightengine]

Part of a local tv programme was about the "blacking up" in Padstow (Rick Steinville on Sea) it's been an annual tradition for centuries but the programme was about it being racist.

We have an annual gathering of Morris in Teignmouth and last year the "blacked up" Morris were being queried as to why. Again, I believe this particular Morris has been dressing this way forever.

Edited January 26, 2017 by lightengine

[trisonic]

I think I would have liked heated handlebar grips when I had a motorbike. One horrible December I was riding from Canterbury to Solihull and I had to get off every 15 miles or so to warm my hands on the cylinder block.

 

I still do that with my snow blower. “White Finger” combined with cold is very painful. Beta Blockers just make it feel even worse.

 

Best, Pete.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Up a bit late this morning, slept so well last night that I didn't even wake up until 8:30. Andy, join the union, few if any will help if you are not a member. I recall that when I was a union rep I received a phone call from someone who was waiting to go in to a disciplinary, so the first thing I asked was was he a member, the answer was in the negative so I asked him what union he was a member of and he said none and that he doesn't believe in trade unions! When I told him that I couldn't help him he was well put out saying that he'd report me to the union. I don't know if he did but if so it probably gave them a good laugh. As it turned out he had been caught out bang to rights and the disciplinary came about due to action from another union (inappropriate behavour to female staff) and his sacking was well deserved. Smiffy, hopefully your sons problem is just an infection, best cure is to keep drinking plenty of water. I once had a similar infection and although drinking water seemed to make it worse (painful urination) after a few days flushed the infection out, helped by the antibiotics prescribed of course.

[Horsetan]

..... We pursue a hobby that is vulnerable to ridicule by the ignorant. ....

 

Absolutely, you should see the crap that is still peddled about P4.....

 

I wonder where the face off between Railway Modellers and Morris Dancers might occur?

Brighton perhaps?

Should make good TV.

 

I was thinking Teddington Lock....

 

Edited January 26, 2017 by Horsetan

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

A little bit of fist but no mog - apart from the two orange residents who seem to be getting used to their new 'magic' cat door which is specifically intended to keep out the intpurrlopers who pinch their nosh.  The door is rather clever as it is activated by their identity chips once the chip has been programmed in (done by holding the cat very close to the mechanism with it set to 'read and store' state - sort of DCC programming for cats I suppose).

 

Still bloomin' cold though.  Interestingly the new door panel - needed to fit the new cat door - is strengthened o resist attacks by scrotes and undesirable, the 'strengthening' between the two sheets of expanded polystyrene is MDF but apparently the sandwich of material is much more resistant that an unstrengthened version.

 

Presumably today might turn out to be faux Friday for shopping purposes but no instructions have yet emananted from the management, I await with baited breath or trepidation.

 

Have a good day everybody

[Tony_S]

Sitting in the fracture clinic reception area.

Aditi has just been called in for her inspection.

We didn't even have any problem parking.

Tony

[trisonic]

Want Snow?

The Sierra Nevada's (Squaw Valley) have received over thirty feet of snow so far in January this year. Mammoth Mountain ski resort has received slightly less at 246” in the same period (you work it out). No wonder that Andy has received a lot. Both of these figures are all time records...

 

We’re in a “Snow Deficit” (but not drought now as it has rained a lot) - in the next ten days we are expecting a grand total of 1” of snow.

 

 I’m not really complaining as we received more than enough last winter.

 

Edit: looks like Mammoth Mountain has caught up: http://www.mammothmountain.com/winter/mountain-information/mountain-information/snow-conditions-and-weather

 

Best, Pete.

Edited January 26, 2017 by trisonic

[AndyB]

Morning all,

Taters here today - my ears were particularly cold on returning from the school run. 

Whilst no snow is forecast, it is overcast and cold enough. The forecasts haven't been terribly accurate recently, hereabouts.

 

swmbo has pointed out that the painting done on my Timecast allotments is far too blue and the vegetation needs to be a more yellowy-green.

She's offered to mix the paint for me as I appear to be colour blind. 

 

A load of paperwork to do today as I am in "primary carer" mode, so liasing with accountant, solicitors, Dr., water utility company....then back home to supervise maths homework, cook tea, monthly invoices.....

 

Having said all that, I'll be tuning in to the last episode of the ch4 "spies" program tonight. It's been far more interesting that I first thought. Particularly interesting when they touched on the subject of paranoia and coping strategies.     

[Ohmisterporter]

Andy, am I right in thinking "taters" is a local word for blooming cold? We used to say "starvation" around here but that expression is dying out. No doubt there are many regional variations of the same thing. Stay safe all and keep wrapped up if you have to go out.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Ohmisterporter

[AndyB]

Yep. Taters - taters in the mold, cold. 

But if we were going down the route, I'd probably say it is "only" today.

"Only teasing - freezin'!"

[Happy Hippo]

  The door is rather clever as it is activated by their identity chips once the chip has been programmed in (done by holding the cat very close to the mechanism with it set to 'read and store' state - sort of DCC programming for cats I suppose).

 

 

I now have a vision of Mrs Stationmaster driving the cats around the sitting room, and reversing them into the litter tray using a TV remote control.

[lightengine]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Up a bit late this morning, slept so well last night that I didn't even wake up until 8:30. Andy, join the union, few if any will help if you are not a member. I recall that when I was a union rep I received a phone call from someone who was waiting to go in to a disciplinary, so the first thing I asked was was he a member, the answer was in the negative so I asked him what union he was a member of and he said none and that he doesn't believe in trade unions! When I told him that I couldn't help him he was well put out saying that he'd report me to the union. I don't know if he did but if so it probably gave them a good laugh. As it turned out he had been caught out bang to rights and the disciplinary came about due to action from another union (inappropriate behavour to female staff) and his sacking was well deserved. Smiffy, hopefully your sons problem is just an infection, best cure is to keep drinking plenty of water. I once had a similar infection and although drinking water seemed to make it worse (painful urination) after a few days flushed the infection out, helped by the antibiotics prescribed of course.

9 years ago myself and colleagues needed help and our manager suggested her union. We contacted them, joined, they represented us immediately and we got the CEO's plans rescinded.

[Donw]

Its the wind chill that's the trouble today. I cannot remember wanting heated handlebars but I suppose they weren't available then. I do remember as a apprentice being left to run heavy insulated cable along electric poles across the fields to the farm house while the two technicians fitted the phone inside. The reason was it was blowing a blizzard, I had ridden the bike to work and motorcycle boots barbour trousers and jacket plus the crash helmet meant I was equipped to cope with the cold and wet.

It is some time since I heard someone saying Taters for cold.

 

I would agree with Andy joining a union. They may not be able to do anything about his boss but would be a great help if the boss decided to do something about him.

 

Don

[lightengine]

...then back home to supervise maths homework, cook tea, monthly invoices.....

 

Having said all that, I'll be tuning in to the last episode of the ch4 "spies" program tonight. It's been far more interesting that I first thought. Particularly interesting when they touched on the subject of paranoia and coping strategies.

 

Good to see you using "maths" usually "math" abounds.

 

The spies prog has been good. I am sure there will be further twists before the close. I would like that huge circular room as a US style warehouse apartment.

[AndyB]

Good to see you using "maths" usually "math" abounds.

 

The spies prog has been good. I am sure there will be further twists before the close. I would like that huge circular room as a US style warehouse apartment.

 

I like to deliver homework in volume! 

Not sure you'd want the apartment in that location though. 

[emt_911]

Back home already. Got to site to find that the area that I need to work in is now a hole in the floor. Not exactly conducive to mounting things on the wall.

 

It's been extremely cold at 0^oC and a wind chill of -5. I even observed minute snow flakes on my way home. I hope that it doesn't come to anything.

 

Smiffy - I'm certainly hoping that No. 1 son's problem is an infection.