Early Risers.

[TheQ]

SWMBO wishes to be buried in our pet cemetery, although it is legal to do so. I'll probably have to turn her into ashes or somebody in the future will come and dig her up.

You may wonder why I think she'll go first.... her mother, father, all grandparents all died of heart problems, her aunt of a failed aorta. In 4 years she'll be the same age as when her mother died. Whereas my parents are still going.

 

I remember school dinners I don't think any veg had less than a years boiling, which didn't make the yellow beans or peas any less like bullets. Everything else was mush.

 

To happier things:

As the weather was good for the time of year I had a wander round the roof of the shed and cleared all the gutters of leaves.

 

More work than I intended was carried out in the shed extension, the shelf framing on one side is installed, and the shelves themselves cut. They are stacked up for painting, if SWMBO is up to it, she'll do the undercoat during the week, if not then it will have to wait till I'm ready, as I'm doing the heavy work until the weather warms up and then the paint dries quicker.

 

I'm still using up old stocks of wood and while moving one piece I found where the latest rat had eaten it way through the floor of the commercially made part of the old shed. Rat poison poured through the hole, temporary heavy piece of wood (weighted) now placed over hole till I can clear more of that area to do a proper repair. That part of the shed is built on 4x4 beams at 18 inch intervals, on top of concrete pads. I've slowly been blocking in the gaps between the beams, I now just have one side of the shed accessable to the rats. That will be fixed this summer.

 

Now it's time to relax, there's a bottle of "Old Pulteney" looking friendly by my side.

Edited February 4, 2017 by TheQ

[Coombe Barton]

The undertakers in Catford are going to be given the repatriation gig. They're about a grand cheaper than everybody else.

 

 

Catford - where I spent the first eighteen months of my life.

 

Only been back once, when I was eleven.

 

The only other reference to the place is in none of Spike Milligan's war memoirs.

[New Haven Neil]

We scattered my Dad's ashes at sea, from the Tyne pilot boat.  Illegally.  Old sailors pals act.  We have also scattered ashes at Groudle, not sure what the law is here about it, but no-one would care anyway.  Half of Gary is under 'his' tree at an arboretum close to their home, Jayne has his other half under her bed still.

 

On less maudlin matters, a nice sunny afternoon bade me to take the bikes out of the garage so I could get up into the garage loft to inter put the US stock up there.  Next thing is its pouring - bikes all wet.....#sigh#

 

Found another three green Bachmann MK1 and Bulleids too.  Oops. #no recollection#

Edited February 4, 2017 by New Haven Neil

[grandadbob]

I believe that many women cook the same way as their mother. I thank my lucky stars that Chris doesn't. Her Mum wouldn't have qualified as a prison camp cook let alone a school dinner lady!

[shortliner]

I see it referred to in connection with DCCing locos, but have no other knowledge, but by accident, I came across this  http://www.banggood.com/search/kapton-tape.html  . Again I know not what price is usually charged, but if this is reasonable, go to it I can only report excellent service from them, postage is usually around two weeks.

Edited February 4, 2017 by shortliner

[andyram]

Afternoon all. Just arrived back from a visit to the Stafford show. I had an enjoyable day, bumping into fellow ER Mick (NB) and RMWeb member Andy Sharpe (leopard). It was good to see and chat to both of them. I also believe I saw Chris.f early in the morning, but he was deep in conversation with a gentleman behind the Western region layout Ellesmere. This was probably one of the best layouts in the show and I revisited it several times. I also enjoyed the O gauge layout Belbroughton and the OO gauge shed, Botleigh North Road.

The wallet survived intact with only a couple of purchases from the Langley models stand and a new Hornby catalogue as well as a decent lunch. The only down side was the car parking. The steward directed me onto one of the softest parts of the grass which resulted in the need to call for the support Land Rover to tow me out when I came to leave.

I arrived back to an empty post box. It is looking highly likely that my application for the four day post has also proved to be a failure.

[grandadbob]

Oh and I am back from a very enjoyable visit to the Alton show with Bob but we didn't bump into any other ERs. 

Got home in time to see most of a great Scotland v Ireland game but no spoilers from me. However I will go on record as saying that I don't like the Scotland captain, he's a bl##dy good player but there's something about his attitude that gets up my nose.

Next up England v France. Am I worried? Slightly maybe but we'll see. I am of course the eternal pissymust.    

That reminds me that it is almost time for my first beer since last Sunday.

Cheers  

Edited February 4, 2017 by grandadbob

[roundhouse]

I believe that many women cook the same way as their mother. I thank my lucky stars that Chris doesn't. Her Mum wouldn't have qualified as a prison camp cook let alone a school dinner lady!

My other half doesn't take after her mum cooking. Her mum's cooking isn't burnt very often.

[shortliner]

There are a lot of these about

 

 

 

Had the pleasure of meeting one on a roundabout yesterday!

Edited February 4, 2017 by shortliner

[AndyB]

Evenin' all,

Never a good idea to splash out on a commemorative rose or plant to mark where you have your ashes placed.

The chemical composition of the ashes is a tad strong for the roots and you won't be the only dead thing at that spot. Best to keep your money in your pocket*.

 

* someone else's pocket, obviously. 

 

Didn't spot any other ERers earlier, but it was a nice show, nevertheless. Can recommend Bodmin in N gauge, in particular. 

[The Stationmaster]

Evenin' all,

 

Wel i have been to the Alton show but having picked National Motoring Cockwomble Day to make the trip I didn't get there until 13.10 - I too parked on the soft stuff but reversed in so the only wheelspin was on arrival.

 

The trip was most illuminating - apart from rank idiocy at the local petrol station, or rather at the air line I needed to do my tyres and Tesco car park stupidity being multiplied by volume without reduction in dumbo quotient I then ventured forth on the roads.  The usual assemblage of drivers who don't understand green in traffic lights means 'get on with it and go' was matched by two additions encountered so frequently that they must have been on special offer as Cockwomblecoburys supermarket as the number of people with 40 mph speed limiters (including even a BMW ) was almost matched by the numbrer who'd obviously bought 20mph speed limiters for use in 30 zones and there was clearly a 'get one free with your speed limiter' offer on 'I don't know which effin way to go when I get to a roundabout' attachments (or are they neural inserts?).  Undoubtedly the prize must go to a couple I encountered on the way home - firstly the brain transplant donor who changed lanes on Caversham Bridge and went about 10 years before changing back again and the henwomble who was either confused or inebriated and had turned on her 20mph limit on a twisting 50mph main road (or maybe she was a would be whiplash injury claimant).

But the show was, as usual, very good albeit with some familiar layouts (including one operated by the brain-dead juvenile minded fat git who emptied his cup of coffee over Mrs Stationmaster at Stow a couple of years back - I didn't dare bother to stop and look at that one in case I needed a change of trousers.  But that apart some really good layouts including an excellent rendition of Hemyock in EM, a nice N gauge version of Bodmin (GWR), the ever superb Ballyconnell Road and the 4mm scale version of Arigna plus rather fun mixed standard and narrow gauge 1960s set Spanish layout with lots of amusing little scenes to keep younger (and older) punters happy.  I had a very pleasant and useful chat with a chap on the making of 00-SF pointwork and spent a few bob quid so although I came home with my wallet intact it was definitely considerably thinner and more money will now need to be found to pay for the new cat door when we eventually get the bill (but I'm sure the cats will be very happy with a nice Bachmann 'Warship' ).

 

So overall it was well worth the cockwomble created delays getting to & fro but sorry I missed various other ERs, oh and the bacon roll was rather good too.

 

So enjoy your evening folks and hope Sherry has arrived home in good health and doesn't catch Ian's cold while he's waiting on her hand & foot. 

[PhilJ W]

Dying seems to be an expensive business all round.

I have repeatedly told Mrs BoD that as far as I am concerned she can just put me in one of the bins.

She asked whether I should go in the one for recycling or the one for landfill.

They can send me to the *glue factory as far as I'm concerned, so the recycling is best. The best way to save on funeral costs is to leave your remains to medical science, they will then pay for a cremation. I popped into the local co-op funeral directors and they had an ad for turnng your loved ones ashes into jewelry, your ashes can be made into an artificial diamomd.  *Glue used to be made by boiling down animal bones.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone

 

Late on parade again, we had a long lie in this morning and when I finally got up, the sun was shining so I went straight out to the workshop. Some more work has been done on the control panel and I've made a modification to it. Instead of the top coming off completely, I've fitted a piano type hinge to it and the base and top so that it can now be lifted up, without it coming off, thereby negating the need to disconnect the wires between the two parts. I've also marked out the switch plate ready for drilling, then I can fit all the switches and LEDs. Once they are all fitted I can then wire them up and commence testing it all.

 

This afternoon I did a spot of baking, making an orange, cardamom and almond cake. I'd never made this cake before, but when we were last in Waitrose Sheila picked up a couple of recipe cards and that was one of them. For tea I made a chicken korma and we both had a slice of cake afterwards.

 

Time to put my feet up, open a bottle of red and catch up on stuff we've recorded over the week.

 

Enjoy what's left of the weekend.

[Tony_S]

They can send me to the *glue factory as far as I'm concerned, so the recycling is best. The best way to save on funeral costs is to leave your remains to medical science, they will then pay for a cremation. I popped into the local co-op funeral directors and they had an ad for turnng your loved ones ashes into jewelry, your ashes can be made into an artificial diamomd.  *Glue used to be made by boiling down animal bones.

I think you can be composted if I have read a sign correctly on the A128 near Brentwood.

[Horsetan]

....one operated by the brain-dead juvenile minded fat git ....

There have always been quite a few of those around. The one show which really sticks in the memory for all the wrong reasons was EMGS the year they had to move into Garston Sports Centre because Bletchley wasn't available. It was a very humid atmosphere, the ventilation was non-existent, the BO factor was high, and the catering was courting disaster.

 

I used to cover a fair mileage going to all sorts of shows in the late '90s/early 2000s, but now it's just Scaleforum and RailEx Stoke Mandeville, simply because they are a better class of show.

[PhilJ W]

I think you can be composted if I have read a sign correctly on the A128 near Brentwood.

That would be the 'green' burial ground, wicker coffins and all that. Apparently its more expensive than a normal burial.

[Horsetan]

That would be the 'green' burial ground, wicker coffins and all that. Apparently its more expensive than a normal burial.

Green = profit

 

#unfairtrade #foxnewsfact

[newbryford]

Some places do object to human ash being scattered at beauty spots. I think they are missing a trick, though. They could charge a fee for scattering ashes.

 

It would be a "Pay As You Urn" system.

 

That's a dead good idea........

[newbryford]

A very pleasant day out at Stafford Ex today. I've been to Stafford enough times to know that the car parking areas can be a bit "soft".

Did the usual reverse park with front wheels near the tarmac and no problem. I did spy a c*ckwomble in an Audi that had driven across the large green areas, only to discover that halfway across it was wet and green and soon turned muddy....... 

 

 

A pleasant chat with Andyram. I saw leopard Andy and Chris f, but not close enough to get their attention... Part time ER Big Jim delivered a box of locos to me for an upcoming project.

 

Although I may now be biased towards DCC Concepts products, I bought a Megapoints DCC input board after finding out that my existing MP routing system (bought before I started my new job) can easily be accessed via normal DCC accessory commands. These commands will eventually come from a DCC Concepts Alpha system........

 

Other purchases included two shades of yellow paint (I already have enough of the third) for said Big Jim project.

 

Minor c*ckwombling observed on the M6 in the long 50mph restricted sections. It's still OK to move to the left lane if you are slower than others.........

 

A detour via Maplins on the way home to purchase a DC power supply that I couldn't get at Stafford. There may be some more control panel testing later......

 

Commute to Settle tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited February 4, 2017 by newbryford

[Two_sugars]

My second oldest brother,Dennis, moved to Mansfield when he married in the mid '60s, and always planned on moving back 'home' on his retirement. . . 

 

Anyway, after working all his working life in the mines, he died aged 62 in 2002. His widow and daughters asked myself and younger brother, George, to pick a place to scatter his ashes. . .We decided on the beach banks at Easington Colliery where the "flight" used to leave the cliff..

 

On the day chosen, we all assembled at the appointed place and George, after saying farewells, up-ended the urn. . He didn't check the wind first.

 

I got Dennis in my ears, eyes, mouth, and hair.

 

 

Now, Dennis had a wicked sense of humour, and I believe to this day that he did it on purpose.

 

Sadly, George died in 2006 aged 52. .His ashes are somewhere near where he live in Oldbury.

 

 

 

Ps . . the flight was an aerial ropeway taking spoil from the mine to the sea. . and it all ended up back on the beaches.  (See the closing scenes of the original "Get Carter" . . .not Easington but similar)

 

 

John

[lightengine]

A nice bar/restaurant in town, The Riviera, was recently bought by a Christian group. It used to be the town cinema. The bar/restaurant was all the building apart from the cinema seating area which had been mothballed. In summer, sitting outside on the terrace or the outside balcony eating or drinking was great.

The Christian group wanted the cinema part as a conference centre. So they bought it. Sacked all the staff and closed it all down.

I pray it turns sour for them.

Amen

[Tony_S]

I have soldered the 4 wires to make my Wickham Trolley work with DCC.

My Programmer identified the chip was present but said no such manufacturer. I told it what it was and all was well.

I think I will put it back on the programming track after final reassembly just in case I have introduced a short.

As my next loco to put a chip in is one that is well known for dodgy sockets I won't bother putting the soldering iron away in case hard wiring is necessary. At least it will be a normal size decoder not the z scale tiny tiny one in the Trolley.

[grandadbob]

Today at Alton I managed at last to get the 4 pin decoder for my Peckett so tomorrow I will attempt to fit it without breaking anything (like whistles) off.

 

Pray for me.....

 

 

H.A.M. Fisted

[bluebottle]

I believe that many women cook the same way as their mother. I thank my lucky stars that Chris doesn't. Her Mum wouldn't have qualified as a prison camp cook let alone a school dinner lady!

 

One of my uncles used to tell people, straight-faced, that he'd killed more Germans than any other man in the British Army. After letting that sink in, he'd then explain that he was a sergeant cook in a WWII POW camp.

After the war, he was a Chef in the famous Cafe Royal in Edinburgh, but when he applied to emigrate to Australia, he was at first turned down - he shouldn't have said no, he hadn't ever had to make damper before - but saved the day when he mentioned that he was a trained butcher.

If that hadn't got him in, I think he was going to mention his war record...

[AndyB]

I've a bit of scattering to arrange over towards Tony's neck of the woods, overlooking Leigh marshes.

Not sure if this is so dad can be close to where he commuted from each day. 

In fact, back in the day, these slopes used to be covered in brambles and dad would lead a family expedition to collect numerous lbs of blackberries.

Perhaps I should scatter some blackberry pips along with him.  

 

I've heard from a friend who works at a hospice that it is a good idea to take scissors and a water bottle. 

Scissors as the remains inside the urn are often wrapped up in a thick plastic bag. When a friend was tasked with scattering a relative they spent some time knocking at nearby homes doors trying to borrow a pair.  

Water as it helps to wash out the last bits of remains from the plastic. Do you really want to put a bit of old uncle Fred in the bin when you dispose of the plastic bag?