Early Risers.

[shortliner]

OOOps! there go ALL his brownie points!

[TheQ]

Afternoon awl,

We went in early to GY to miss as many cockwombles as possible, though as it turned out we could have gone through our normal time as it was quite quiet before 10:00. I obtained several books from "The Works", no railway books this time.

I did much wandering around following SWMBO, i noticed one thing the poundland is no longer a pound shop many items are above £1 now, inflation is definately on the up...

 

Walking back through the shopping centre, an aisle had been formed with pedestrian barriers. All plastered with "X Factor" signs, we walked past all this to the carpark. There were two proper policemen ( not PCSOs) several bouncers, two people on the table, and....3 terminally hopefuls filling in forms.

After a quick visit to a tesco "Extra" to top on items not held in our local small tesco it was time for home, which was just as well as all the aches and pains from yesterday's anti rat work were begining to catch up with me.

 

By this time the roads were full of cockwombles, the most memorable today, was at a roundabout which is two lane, i entered on the right hand lane to turn right, but followed the lines to exit in the left hand of two lanes.

Meanwhile the car behind had kept on the inside of the round about to exit in the right hand lane ready for a right turn to a supermarket.

 

Meanwhile henwomble, decides to enter from my left meaning to go straight on in our direction thereby turning the round about into three lane which didn't go, she was forced to back out as i turned onto my exit, so she dropped behind me, only to cut in front of the car that had followed me aiming for the other lane. How there wasn't an accident i don't know but it got very close...

 

Dinner is about to arrive which will be followed by a Laphaoig, followed by eyelid inspection.

[AndyB]

Afternoon all and sympathies to Michael.

 

From experience Neil's experience isn't unusual and there's many a seafarer who has been stranded in port when their company goes to the wall - and in many instances the port authority won't let the crew leave the ship until a replacement crew has been provided, which of course can't be as the company went to the wall....

 

Meanwhile a small inconvenience here. Next door's gardener lit a bonfire to dispose of green foliage, logs, a sleeper....in a residential area and in a garden 12 feet wide this caused a plume of smoke to envelope our house for several hours. When asked to extinguish it the gardener gave us a mouth full. I'm hoping the neighbour will pop round later to apologise and we can explain why it's probably best to take such material to the tip. If for no other reason we weren't able to use our garden this afternoon. 

[JohnDMJ]

I once went into the 99p Store and bought two items priced at 49p.

 

When I asked the cashier to put them through as two sales, she gave me a 'funny' look! However, she obliged.

 

I saved myself the whole 1p in the process as two would have gone through at 99p!

[Coombe Barton]

Prepping and loading the caravan prior to Monday's departure. The house feels somewhere empty. Amazing just what goes in there and overwinters in the house.

 

I wonder what will fill the empty space in the house before Autumn, modelling or quilting?

[The Stationmaster]

 

 

Not that we can rest on any laurels as the Gummint is intent on scrapping penalty rates for weekend and public holiday working and insisting that everyone be paid the same rate no matter when they are at work.  Quite apart from the fact that many in certain industries (catering, hospitality and transport among them) rely on penalty rates to keep a roof over their heads this is likely to guarantee a shortage of willing hands to work weekends / nights / public holidays in the future.  For employees it's a severe kick in the loinal region.  For employers it's a mixed blessing as they are not necessarily obliged to pay staff (for example) double time on Sundays but may find that fewer staff are prepared to work / more call in sick if offered just the basic hourly rate.

 

 

 

 

Flat rate pay/salary arrangements have an awful lot in their favour but they must compensate for what would have come as 'extras' otherwise they can be accurately seen as nothing more than money saving dodges.  Thus when my salary was put together in my final big railway job (where as it happens I, for the second time in my BR career, expressed a little dissatisfaction with their initial figure and got it increased) it allowed for the fact that London Allowance had to be included, plus 'On call' Allowance had to be included, plus some Bank Holiday enhancement had to be taken into account, and that all went into the total basic salary.  And of course it all became pensionable (and counted in redundancy figure calculations ).   So the system does have considerable advantages when done properly and obviously it saves money for the employer who doesn't have to bother with all the hoohah of calculating enhanced rates for overtime or Bank Holidays and Sundays etc so they save money in admin terms.

 

I think you'll find that there is nowadays very little in the way of enhanced rate payment in the British railway industry with biggest exceptions being Sunday rates in some operating companies and - probably - Bank Holiday enhancements.  Many non-railway employers don't even go that far in terms of enhanced rates with overtime being at the standard hourly rate etc.

[Happy Hippo]

Today I have been painting.

 

A new coat of preservative on the baseboards of the demo for next week's show at Church Stretton, and a quick rub down and repaint of a smokebox which had got a bit charred after the operator, (not me), allowed the fire to ignite and then continue in the smokebox and not in the fire tube.

 

I also stripped and reassembled a pressure gauge which needed a red line painted at 'working pressure'.  I'm not sure which genius came up with this idea for  small pressure gauges fitted to sub miniature boilers, but painting a line inside a 1/2" diameter pressure gauge is not the easiest of tasks...............the line covers about 10psi worth of gauge!

[Killybegs]

Prepping and loading the caravan prior to Monday's departure. The house feels somewhere empty. Amazing just what goes in there and overwinters in the house.

 

I wonder what will fill the empty space in the house before Autumn, modelling or quilting?

From my personal experience I would say that Quilting will win hands down.

[Tony_S]

I think the priority in our house is going to be putting stuff back. The airing cupboard contents are all over the guest bedroom bed. Ornaments and paintings on the landing are piled up in Matthew's room.

Tony

[trisonic]

 

 

Meanwhile a small inconvenience here. Next door's gardener lit a bonfire to dispose of green foliage, logs, a sleeper....in a residential area and in a garden 12 feet wide this caused a plume of smoke to envelope our house for several hours. When asked to extinguish it the gardener gave us a mouth full. I'm hoping the neighbour will pop round later to apologise and we can explain why it's probably best to take such material to the tip. If for no other reason we weren't able to use our garden this afternoon. 

 

Your neighbor hires a gardener for a 12 foot wide garden? Didn’t he have some implement you could have rammed down his throat?

 

 

Another day of ER excitement.

 

 

Must go and cut the grass...... Pete.

[AndyB]

Your neighbor hires a gardener for a 12 foot wide garden? Didn’t he have some implement you could have rammed down his throat?

 

 

Another day of ER excitement.

 

 

Must go and cut the grass...... Pete.

 

Yes. My wife's arm. 

[Horsetan]

...wonder what will fill the empty space in the house before Autumn, modelling or quilting?

*hollow laughter*

 

I was in the middle of sorting out this Jidenco lucky dip that I'd bought on eBay for £11 some years ago, but the ironing got in the way:

 

 

Billed as a "Crab", it certainly contains a good number of etchings and turnings to build most of one, but the Brucie Bonus was finding etchings for a Stanier Mogul plus two Fowler tenders in the same box.

 

Some of the etched rivet detail on both is quite crude, so there's not much that can be done about it, but the Crab at least will fill the gap left by the Alan Gibson Crab kit which went missing - lock stock and boiler barrel - shortly after I started building it some years ago.

 

Conversely, the Jidenco Stanier Mogul might not now be built due to the recent acquisition of an Alan Gibson kit for the same class.

[AndyB]

Today I have been painting.

 

A new coat of preservative on the baseboards of the demo for next week's show at Church Stretton, and a quick rub down and repaint of a smokebox which had got a bit charred after the operator, (not me), allowed the fire to ignite and then continue in the smokebox and not in the fire tube.

 

I also stripped and reassembled a pressure gauge which needed a red line painted at 'working pressure'.  I'm not sure which genius came up with this idea for  small pressure gauges fitted to sub miniature boilers, but painting a line inside a 1/2" diameter pressure gauge is not the easiest of tasks...............the line covers about 10psi worth of gauge!

 

Richard, is there any more info about the layouts at the show? I found a short description on here: http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/events/14289-StrettonsRailwaySocietyExhibition

[Tony_S]

In this part of Essex there would be no problem for a householder taking stuff to the tip though a gardener might be prevented. Anyone doing a job being rude to a neighbour would not be very likely to be returning. We go a lot on personal recommendations in our street. My discovery of Joe the double glazing repair man has proved to be useful.

[Happy Hippo]

Richard, is there any more info about the layouts at the show? I found a short description on here: http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/events/14289-StrettonsRailwaySocietyExhibition

I'll try and find out, or see if they will update the UKMSD entry.

[Coombe Barton]

From my personal experience I would say that Quilting will win hands down.

 

It already has - I wasn't quick enough.

[AndyID]

American companies are awash with Vice Presidents

 

Oi! I resemble that remark. (Actually I was SENIOR Vice President and my boss was an EXECUTIVE Vice President   )

[Oldddudders]

Oi! I resemble that remark. (Actually I was SENIOR Vice President and my boss was an EXECUTIVE Vice President   )

My case rests. Awash.

[AndyB]

In this part of Essex there would be no problem for a householder taking stuff to the tip though a gardener might be prevented. Anyone doing a job being rude to a neighbour would not be very likely to be returning. We go a lot on personal recommendations in our street. My discovery of Joe the double glazing repair man has proved to be useful.

 

Funnily enough only last night I was thinking of the trips we had to do with my dad when a trip to the tip on Two Tree island was needed. 

It seems that this was converted to a wildlife reserve, although it seems evidence of its use does pop through. 

 

There's an interesting reference to it here, along with other interesting material. 

 

It also reminds me of the A level biology field trip my class was sent on. The teacher didn't accompany us but instructed me to drive the rest of the class over (in my dad's car) to the tip at Foulness and have look for flora and fauna. I'm thinking that things may have changed in terms of tasking pupils to drive other pupils, rooting around in land fill, not accompanying pupils on field trips..... I can see why other schools sent their pupils to slightly more salubrious locations, such as Slimbridge.  

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone

 

Well it's been a fun packed day here at BSW01 towers, we had Evie stop over last night. However, when this usually happens, her older sister Ava generally comes to spend the following day with us too. But she spent the night at her cousins house last night, so it was just the 3 of us today, which was very nice. She spent the day playing with her dolls and making Easter cards.

 

Not long after she was born Charlie, her eldest brother wrote a Christmas card and signed on behalf of all 4 of them, but he misspelt Evie and with his handwriting it looked like the word Evil and it has stuck as her nickname ever since. She also has a rather dark and wicked sense of humour, which can be very dark sometimes. She's only 8 years old, but her favourite saying at the moment is a quote "nice suit senator" which is from the film 'Silence Of The Lambs' which she has seen and loves! She's a lovely girl really, she just has a wacky sense of humour, very much like Sheila and myself.

 

When she was about 4, all of the family were playing eye-spy and it was Evie's turn chose the letter and she chose 'C'.

So they were all taking turns at guessing the answer, some of them were

Crayon

Colouring book

Clock

Curtains

Chain (dog leash)

Cars

Chickens (in a neighbours garden)

Cat (in a neighbours garden)

Charlie......................all the usual things that you'd think a 4 year old would have come up with.

 

But no, after about 10 minutes of guessing they eventually gave up and asked her to tell them all what the answer was.

 

At this point she turned, looked at her twin brother Max and said

"Cretin!"

 

Honestly, you couldn't make this stuff up.

 

Oooo goody, its wine o'clock.

[lightengine]

AndyID was your Google Earth capture correctly oriented? ie north up

[andyram]

Evening all. A quick check in whilst waiting for Amber to drift off ahead of "Easter bunny" duties. We have just got back from my parent's house where Amber has collected her first set of goodies. Sarah was not impressed as the sweets are things that she believes Amber will not eat and the book about ""Amber the Orange Fairy" is far too advanced for her at this stage. I am sure she will enjoy the book when she is older and will consume the biscuits even if she does not like the sweets. I am appreciative of anything people choose to buy us or my family, whereas Sarah as more scathing at times. I suppose it is different ways we were brought up. That said Sarah has not been happy this evening, I am sure I am not helping. I admit to being difficult to live with at present. Despite being off work I still can't quite snap myself out of the low mood which recent work experiences have brought about. I am trying...honest!

Today has limited plans and very few were achieved. Sarah successfully delivered her final Avon orders and we enjoyed a pub lunch too. The trip to the garden centre did not succeed as we could not find the plant she wanted to buy her mum. We did spy a nice raised pond as we strolled around which would be perfect for our garden and more plans are now afoot. Then we ended up at the local pet shop to buy a new house for the hamster cage. Amber's recently deceased pet was replaced back on Wednesday with one from the local RSPCA rescue centre. We had not planned on getting a new one so soon, but a Facebook appeal was spotted stating they were overrun with baby hamsters. No contest really after that!

Tonight Sarah and I are due to sit down for our usual meal together. Hopefully it will be much needed time together and we can find some cheer. We certainly need some.

In my last post I forgot to thank those for posting the Celtic Woman videos. I had never heard of this group before and was very impressed. I have always had a soft spot for such music, with The Corrs being a slightly more mainstream variety. I enjoyed all the videos and may hunt out some more in the near future.

 

Take care all.

[Tony_S]

Funnily enough only last night I was thinking of the trips we had to do with my dad when a trip to the tip on Two Tree island was needed. 

It seems that this was converted to a wildlife reserve, although it seems evidence of its use does pop through. 

 

There's an interesting reference to it here, along with other interesting material. 

 

It also reminds me of the A level biology field trip my class was sent on. The teacher didn't accompany us but instructed me to drive the rest of the class over (in my dad's car) to the tip at Foulness and have look for flora and fauna. I'm thinking that things may have changed in terms of tasking pupils to drive other pupils, rooting around in land fill, not accompanying pupils on field trips..... I can see why other schools sent their pupils to slightly more salubrious locations, such as Slimbridge.

 

Since Southend declared itself independent of Essex County Council and became a unitary authority we mere Essex dwellers can't use "their" tips. Two Tree Island does have reserves in it. People may think South Essex is a bit barren with names like that and One Tree Hill.

Matthew's A level geography field trip was to Cromer. Aditi used to take her students to Shropshire. I was talking to Aditi's cousin (one of the younger ones!). She is doing A level biology and geography and had been to Japan and Iceland (the country not the store) with her school.

Tony

[New Haven Neil]

I'd just like to point out that the company did fly me home when I was made redundant!  They still exist, but in a more diverse form.

[emt_911]

A far better journey from Devon to Derbyshire but numerous second lane cockwombles along with several bumperhumpers.

 

After watching the F1 qualifying I went to the club rooms and met AndyP of this parish to help with setting up for tomorrow. I'm now nice and relaxed after some excellent food and a couple of pints.

 

Time to catch up on other areas of RMweb.

 

Back later