Early Risers.

[NGT6 1315]

Morning all...

 

Last day of uni for this year - I believe tomorrow will then see us tidy up the flat before our vacation!

 

Christmas dinner will most likely be raclette .

 

Have a good day all!

[Robert]

Christmas dinner will most likely be raclette .

 

Good choice!

[DonBradley]

Good morning all.

Yeserday's luncheon was a very succesful, happy affair.

Although I say it myself, everything was tender, tasty, delicous.

Very abstemious drink wise.

I panicked early on when my domestic help did not arrive, but got on with the job successfully.

She was necessary as a physical help as I am the cook, but shifting heavy roasting pans etc. is difficult with one arm weaknen by advaning age.

Any way, help arrived at 12:00 noon so waiting at table and the clen up was taken care of

[gordon s]

Morning guys....

 

Still smiling despite life dealing us a few bum cards. Spoke to my GP yesterday and not much can be done, but now on liquid Morphine to see me through Christmas/New Year. It's not quite a vintage Port and is certainly an acquired taste, but seems to have eased things a bit. Then had a call to tell me a good mate had died from bladder cancer. He was only 66 and leaves a fun loving wife and two boys. They'd been married 40 years, so he'll be sadly missed. Passed away peacefully in a hospice with his family with him. One of life's gentlemen. Hopefully I'll be fit enough to make his cremation on Jan 10th.

 

On the up side, I've been sitting at the kitchen table fitting new wheels to a few of my locos. One of those jobs that got pushed to one side when I was layout building and it's nice to be doing something rather than laying about. It's worrying though that I'm starting to enjoy daytime TV...

[DonBradley]

BoD There is a notice that you have initiated a personal conversation but can find no unread messages, however whilst searcing I cicked in the "add as friend" window so hence our "formal" status.

You, Dd and Gordon go back to my initial introduction to ERs, 5 or ore years ago.

[Robert]

Sorry to hear that Gordon - sometimes life seems very unfair.

 

Hope you'll be up and about again soon.

 

Starting to enjoy daytime TV?!? That really is the start of a slippery slope

[DDolfelin]

I certainly know how you are feeling concerning the loss of friends, Gordon.

It seems that there are more pals circling the drain with each year that passes.

 

Liquid morphine? Not knowingly tried that.

Is that the makings of a seasonal party?

It must help with daytime TV!

[BoD]

Morning all

 

More snow shifting duties before Mrs.S could go to work.

Enjoy, daytime and TV were three words I never thought I would see in the same sentence. Good to see that you are staying cheerful(ish) though, Gordon.

 

Don: I think it is DD that you are getting "formal" with not me.

[sixoh8sixoh]

Morning all. Still pitch black in deepest darkest Leith, brightened only by a just-past-full moon. Didn't see any of yesterday's lunar eclipse due to cloud.

 

Gordon, sorry to hear of your friend, 66 is far too young to go - not enough time to enjoy the retirement. And I hope your liquid morphine doesn't get mixed up with the brandy for over the Christmas pudding. Could make for a very relaxed Christmas afternoon though...

 

Full of busy at the moment, the pace of things at work hasn't let up for Christmas (if anything we're getting more to do). Spent last night making and wrapping presents, baking a PKU Christmas cake for the littl'un and some of the other 1001 jobs that need doing before Christmas!

 

Off out tonight to the (indoor) climbing wall to be embarrassed by a 24-year old gym bunny who I'm climbing with tonight...

[DDolfelin]

I'm still basking in the warm glow, Don.

I've counted up my cyber formal friends and, apparently, I have two.

 

No idea what the benefits or obligations are of such friends.

(Although I've received very real benefits from both of mine).

[skipepsi]

Morning all I got paid today and already DD2 is raiding my piggy bank.

[trisonic]

Condolences, Gordon.

It is unfortunate that at our age it becomes more frequent to get this kind of news.

 

Best, Pete.

[45156]

Morning All

 

Gordon - I was on liquid morphine for a couple of days while I was waiting for my operation, and it was quite effective albeit that it tasted very odd - no alcohol though. Sorry to hear about your mate's passing and that really was too soon for anybody these days. Every year I seem to get a Christmas card which used to come from a couple, and then comes from only one of them (I think we've all got a few people that we only seem to hear from at Christmas and that sort of card is actually quite saddening in more ways than one - both that you've lost an acquaintance, and that you didn't hear about it sooner). I'll not miss daytime TV when I get back to work - it's been the on demand material on BT Vision which has kept me sane.

 

Dave hope the car's OK - I got that light one time, and left the car for investigation to find that it was the HT leads - cost of part £22, cost of "investigation and test drive" £40.00 - AA said that this did not constitute a breakdown as the car was still running and could be got to a garage. I've got to say that the garage was actually brilliant, and arranged a lift to work and delivered the car back to my workplace at no extra cost (or probably included in the £40).

 

Radio tells that we had an earthquake in Cumbria which was felt in North Lancashire - I didn't feel a thing - did any of our Cumbrian ERs notice this one? Got to say an earthquake makes a change from the usual talk about how cold it is.

 

Got to pick up Mrs 45156 after a half shift at work today (she's had to go in to cover again for her sick [of work} colleague) and she uttered the S word along with a missive to draw up a SHORT shopping list - should be fun, as the list starts, port, beer, Crabbies alcoholic ginger beer. Last week Sainsbury's had two really good offers on Port with a good Dows and Croft Platinum both at six quid a bottle.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[eldavo]

Morning All, The sky and the ground appear to be the same colour in these parts. Not sure what that bodes.

 

Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend Gordon, 66 is no age. Both of SWMBO's parents died at the same age and it seemed as though they had only really just got started on retirement etc. Go easy on the Morphine mate otherwise enjoying daytime TV might not be the worst symptom!

 

Try to have a good one all.

 

Cheers

Dave

[Guest Max Stafford]

Thanks Stewart. Sorry to hear about your mate Gordon. Beware of daytime TV though, especially if you're already on 'liquid smack'; you'll creating a new discipline of 'jazz modelling' next!

 

No indication of a quake in these parts, but living 100 yards or so from the WCML probably means it could sneak in and out under cover of a heavy coal train...!

 

Now looking forward to the arrival of 'Blue Peter' from Liverpool. Hopefully will come tomorrow!

 

Dave.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Last night's rain must have frozen as it was a bit slippery as I put the bin bag out. It does look as if it is beginning to melt again. my neighbours decided that yesterday was the best day to travel to Denbighshire. It was even though the last bit was being towed by a tractor along the lane to their daughter's house.

 

I'm sorry to read about your friend, Gordon.

 

Tony

 

[gordon s]

Thanks for your sympathies guys. I just needed to speak to someone and you're the best bunch of cyber mates one could wish for. Spoke to his wife this morning and she is bearing up OK so far. With her focus on the funeral and service, she is pretty well occupied. I'm sure she'll really feel the loss after his cremation.

 

Also spoke to the hospital to see if there is any chance of getting an injection before Christmas. The odds are about 100 to 1, so it looks like me and my mate Morphine will become good friends. It's still not on par with a good Sauvignon Blanc, but it is improving....

 

Certainly it's creeping above freezing here as the snow is gradually disappearing.

[Wherry Lines]

Gordon, sorry to hear about the loss of a dear friend.

 

 

Heavy snow for a couple of weeks, and now an earthquake? Hmm, the end of the world must be nigh

[skipepsi]

Sorry to hear about your friend Gordon somehow it seems much worse hearing at this time of year. As for the liquid morphine be very careful SIL did a good impression of being addicted to it and it took a long time to wean her off morphine and its derivatives. If your snow is melting your chances of getting an injection might improve providing ice isn't forming after the snow has gone.

[sixoh8sixoh]

 

Now looking forward to the arrival of 'Blue Peter' from Liverpool. Hopefully will come tomorrow!

 

Dave.

Harburn Hobbies had received their allocation yesterday and I was shown one in the shop. The wooden presentation box is a work of art. The loco's not bad either!

[trisonic]

so it looks like me and my mate Morphine will become good friends. It's still not on par with a good Sauvignon Blanc, but it is improving....

 

 

OW! That is the trouble with morphine.......................................be careful out there.

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

 

[45156]

so it looks like me and my mate Morphine will become good friends.

 

Gordon, When I was in hospital, I was given intravenous morphine only while awaiting assessment on the ward (in A&E) and after I was on the ward, I was put onto oral morphine for two days only, and even then only every six hours alternated with Tramadol and Paracetemol, so it is quite potent stuff, and I was told by the staff nurse that it was due to possible dependance issues. I'm sure you'll be sensible about it, though. I guess that the bad back means no more progress on the layout until resolved?

I'm sure she'll really feel the loss after his cremation.

 

Yes, that is very true indeed, as I know from the time that my dad passed away - it hit us all a couple of days after the wake, and in my case, it actually hit me as the train left for London taking me back after the event - a miserable journey.

[Guest Max Stafford]

Well, it'll be time to head off to work soon. Remember that fault light? It's gone. I went out this morning to try and see what happened. Upon starting, I got a 'coolant overheat' warning - yeah right! Bonnet up, visual check of engine, all OK at a glance and plenty of coolant. I started her up again and left the engine to run for 10-15 minutes although I still had the engine warning light so I decided I'd have a run up to the garage via the post office to get Tony's parcel away ( ).

Upon restarting the engine, no warnings, no lights. All normal! I suspect it was the Arctic Monkey Gremlin messing around but I'll keep the engine under observation for the time being and resort to the long warm-up on starting. Just like I used to do with my old cars - the old methods still hold good!

 

Dave.

[gordon s]

Just had a call from X-Ray. Can I be there for 2pm tomorrow? Is the Pope a Catholic? I'd get there on my hands and knees if I had to.....

 

Best Christmas present I could have...

[BoD]

Good news Gordon. Hope it goes well and they manage to sort something out for you..

 

I have just got back from a walk. The sun came out and was exceptionally bright on the snow. My eyes were quite painful. Wish I had taken my sunglasses.