Early Risers.

[BSW01]

Evening all

 

The gate and all the fencing has now been given 2 coats of paint and is ready for fitting into place. However, I've not yet painted the bottom of the gate as it has been supplied taller than required so that if can be trimmed once fitted, so once it has been sized correctly, I'll take it down and paint the bottom then re-hang it.

 

My next task was to fix the cold tap on the bathroom sink, which had become loose, as the body had started to turn when the tap was used. Upon inspection I found that the plastic retaining nut under the tap had split! So I had a rummage in my plumbing fittings/bits box and in there I found an old un-used Yorkshire fitting type tap connector. So I cut the fitting so that I could remove the nut. I then put the nut in the lathe and removed the back part that retains the rubber seal. I then fitted this behind the original plastic nut, which is now, to all intents and purposes, become a washer. Once tightened the tap body no longer turned! Sheila is now one happy bunny and I think I've earned a few brownie points too!

 

Once I'd finish working in the bathroom, I managed a couple of hours in the cellar, where I did some more work on base board No 2 of Max's train set, the 4 side frames have been fitted, so all that's left to fit are the cross members and the corner posts. Hopefully by the end of the week I will be able to get some track laid down.

 

Whilst I was out in the garden this morning, I was chatting to one of our neighbours, she told me that her youngest son, who is I think 7, got very excited the other day and was shouting "there's an ostrich in Brian's garden,". He's older brother took a look and said, "that's not an ostrich, it's a heron". I expect it was after the frogs in the pond!

 

After tea we sat down and I enjoyed a glass of red, which I think I'd earned today.

 

Dick. Thoughts with you and your family.

 

Goodnight all.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[laurenceb]

Thoughts are with you and your family Dick

Night awl

[trisonic]

Be careful of your fencing! Both Hurricanes Maria and Lee are expected to head for the British Isles - according to meteorologists who flung the usual Speghetti Bolognese into the air and studied the resulting mess......

 

The Gold Smuggler was reported on the BBC World Service tis AM so it must be true! Don’t forget it was not in it’s raw state but included items like two necklaces etc.

 

Best, Pete.

[Coombe Barton]

Be careful of your fencing! Both Hurricanes Maria and Lee are expected to head for the British Isles - according to meteorologists who flung the usual Speghetti Bolognese into the air and studied the resulting mess......

 

The Gold Smuggler was reported on the BBC World Service tis AM so it must be true! Don’t forget it was not in it’s raw state but included items like two necklaces etc.

 

Best, Pete.

It's happened before

 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/two-sri-lankan-traders-smuggle-25-gold-bars-in-rectum-held-at-mumbai-airport/story-7pDtexqSinp4U34lB0YzQP.html

[Horsetan]

I guess that's what they mean by a s***load of gold.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all, with special thoughts to Smiffy and family

 

It was an interesting weekend at Stoke Mandible and its satellite town of Aylesbury.  Morrisons, near the railway station, serves a good value breakfast but it comes nowhere close to the Little Chef Olympic.  For, I think, only the second time in my life I had a meal in an Indian restaurant, comprising the hugely unadventurous chicken korma with mushroom rice.  [second time?  Make that third.  I had forgotten, and rightly so, the Curry Garden in Erdington fully 40 years ago when those present were reduced to helpless laughter by shish kebab.]  In the pub on Saturday night I discovered that I had been at school with Dave Hawkins, stalwart of South Hants MRC, when the conversation strayed into folkie things and he mentioned he had been at school with John Kirkpatrick.  We then reminisced about a French teacher named Miles Wootton who is probably no longer with us and used to entertain an after school club called The Apprentices with songs to a small guitar before renouncing teaching for music.  Many, many years later I compered a concert starring the man himself.  Back in the pub I sang a song AND I wasn't drunk, honest.  Possibly the highlight of the week was finally meeting Tracey, the landlady of the guest house where I have now stayed on five occasions.  All this and Scaleforum too.

 

What of the week ahead?  A trip to the bank today will be followed swiftly by one to the ironmongers to buy more Rodine, a rodent repellent named after a girls' school which the meeces seem to be gobbling with relish.  Tonight I ought be at a meeting, hastily arranged after vociferous protest, to discuss the Government's proposal to emasculate the train service from Bedford to Leicester and the north.  It should be more exciting than the ironing.

 

Best wishes to all in distress and recovery

 

Chris

[roundhouse]

Good morning form a Sunny Rotterdam. A great few days drinking all day but the 150 cl. glasses make it far easier to enjoy so many strong beers. Weather has also been just about perfect for sitting outside but in the shade.

Now onboard a Thalys heading for Brussels. Andrew C is in comfort 1 on the same train but we are slumming it again. Luckily we had breakfast in the hotel so should be fine it’ll our first ever in Brussels.

Edited September 25, 2017 by roundhouse

[Coombe Barton]

And in contrast, I'm going to join sardine class to Brum

[grandadbob]

Good morning all, 

Rather dull and damp here. It may become drier and brighter later.

This week The Boss is on holiday as it is her birthday on Friday. In honour of this we are holding a bit of a do and then on Saturday going out for a meal with immediate family. Of course Her Presence all week and the fact that people will be visiting means that She has declared the house not currently fit for purpose (Oh yes it is!) and needs a major revamp and clean up. (Oh no it doesn't!)

Guess who has been seconded to assist deal with all this. Now I know why She's been buying me beer and cake. 

One task that has been completed is that I've already got Her card and present instead of leaving it to the last minute like I usually do.

I suppose the sooner I get started, the sooner I'll finish so 'bye for now and..

..have a good one.

Bob.

[Horsetan]

And in contrast, I'm going to join sardine class to Brum

Is there any other class these days?

[AndyB]

Morning all and it's a damp, drizzly start to the day here. 

 

Dick, keep you chin up and you know where we are. 

 

Still waiting for the Man from Del Monte. Fingers still crossed. I'm given to understand that it is "when", not "if". 

 

Next door has built the mother of all ponds, some 5 or 6 feet in depth and about 10 feet in width. A second substantial pond has been built on top to act as a waterfall reservoir. The only thing is that when he switched the pump on - you guessed it - the level in the lower pond dropped. A top up will be needed but as we are somewhat prone to power cuts I can see a minor flood happening at some stage, possibly. 

 

Chrisf's mention of a curry reminded me of my first curry. It was certainly a day to remember. Given the chance to visit an RAF base in East Anglia our scout troop set off and got a conducted tour of the airfield (spotting decoys a-plenty; E-E* Lightnings) in the station fire tenders, a chance to sit in the back of a Phantom, and topped off with a chicken curry in the Sgts' mess. Those were the days when we had Lightnings and Phantoms. Sigh. 

 

* silver, not Orange. 

 

Some software, ordered on Friday, arrived early Saturday morning so best I install it and start getting familiar with the various buttons. 

Have a nice day everyone. 

Is there any other class these days?

 

Bovine? 

[Happy Hippo]

We have to worry about how His Hipponess is to be dealt with in a real emergency...

 

Ed McLachlan - hippo pad.jpg

Apparently it is by Chinook with an under slung net.

 

Although it can be a bit drafty!

[TheQ]

 

 

Chrisf's mention of a curry reminded me of my first curry. It was certainly a day to remember. Given the chance to visit an RAF base in East Anglia our scout troop set off and got a conducted tour of the airfield (spotting decoys a-plenty; E-E* Lightnings) in the station fire tenders, a chance to sit in the back of a Phantom, and topped off with a chicken curry in the Sgts' mess. Those were the days when we had Lightnings and Phantoms. Sigh. 

 

* silver, not Orange. 

 

 

 

Lightenings and Phantoms?........ early 1970's RAF Wattisham?

 

It's funny how they always take visitors to the Sergeants or Officers mess, then when the've conn'ed you into joining up, you find the pleasures of the carp food and accomodation of the airmen....

 

I got a lift in a chinook in the Falklands, Mid winter with underslung load, side door and aft door open, so the loadmaster could see what was going on, as well as the hole in the floor for the load. .    BXXXXy freezing...

Edited September 25, 2017 by TheQ

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Thoughts and commiserations to Smiffy. Dull, damp and overcast here this morning, at least the damp isn't descending from the sky. Just a thought on the gold smugglers, how did they get past the airport metal detectors? Thats it for now, be back later.

[Happy Hippo]

Lightenings and Phantoms?........ early 1970's RAF Wattisham?

 

It's funny how they always take visitors to the Sergeants or Officers mess, then when the've conn'ed you into joining up, you find the pleasures of the carp food and accomodation of the airmen....

Depends on your definition of carp!

 

The food at RAF Akrotiti was like a royal banquet compared with what the slop jockeys were dishing out at the other end of Cyprus.

[AndyB]

Lightenings and Phantoms?........ early 1970's RAF Wattisham?

 

It's funny how they always take visitors to the Sergeants or Officers mess, then when the've conn'ed you into joining up, you find the pleasures of the carp food and accomodation of the airmen....

 

I got a lift in a chinook in the Falklands, Mid winter with underslung load, side door and aft door open, so the loadmaster could see what was going on, as well as the hole in the floor for the load. .    BXXXXy freezing...

 

Can't say for certain, but we were on a week's camp at Lamarsh next to the river Stour, so must have been relatively close.

Best not to ask me for directions though. Some colleagues asked me how long it would take to get to RAF Wittering once. I said Chichester was about an hour, so add another 10 minutes. 

Having said that we took a Gazelle down to M.Wallop once and the officer chappie driving did what they always do - follow the roads. Shame the council had put in a new roundabout.   

I'll keep an eye out for any underslung HHs hovering over my roof - we get quite a few Chinooks over the house each day. 

 

HH, Sodexo is now your catering partner in those parts of the world. Just don't ask for a glass of water without paying for it! 

Edited September 25, 2017 by AndyB

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Grey and gloomy weather here. No Chinooks here today, so I assume no Essex hippos need removing.

I have done the admin of the day already, my car is booked in for its annual service and first MOT in early October.

 

I am sure there is something else I am supposed to do but whatevet it is continues to elude me. Perhaps Aditi will remind me.

Tony

[TheQ]

Depends on your definition of carp!

 

The food at RAF Akrotiti was like a royal banquet compared with what the slop jockeys were dishing out at the other end of Cyprus.

I'd agree very variable from camp to camp, the worst for me was RAF Swinderby, or the Army on Benbecula.

 

The best was RAF Boulmer where because you couldn't claim back your food money for absences of less than 2 days and the base was nearly on the A1. So a great many people weren't there when they didn't need to be, so there was more money for the food.

 

 As for accomodation for me,

 RAF Staxton Wold (living at Driffield barracks) I had a 16 man room to myself, but had to use one of two beds at one end due to rain coming in through the roof.

RAF Coltishall was either 3 men rooms converted from 16man rooms with hard board partitions, or beds in a corridor. They had to do the accomodation up for the prisoners when it became a prison....

RAF Boulmer, was 4 men in a 3 bedroom house, one in each room upstairs and one in the living room downstairs and a very long walk to the mess.

RAF Benbecula was either four man rooms, or after a year as a Corporal, I got a single man room with 18inches of space round 2 sides of the bed...

Training camps were of course standard 16 man rooms.

RAF Wittering was a 16man room with triple bunks in it, for 42 men, although I was in there with a course of 30...luckily just for a week.

 

I'll ignore the odd tent, WW2 nissan hut with earth floors and sleeping beneath radars or on shelves on exersize.

 

I was at Akrotiri for a short time, but around  the age of o years plus a little bit till 3 years so don't remember any of it...( also at Famagusta and Nicocia in that time._

[AndyB]

Akrotiri was alright by the standards you've mentioned! Had the advantage that flying stopped for us around 13:00 and there was nothing to do apart from top up the suntan. 

 

Stayed in a barracks used for transiting personnel half a dozen years ago and they were not quite so nice. But the operative word was "transit", so temporary for all concerned. 

 

By comparison, when I worked for a World Rally team the accommodation in Limassol was, erm, luxurious. 

[Tony_S]

I am fairly certain I have never had meals courtesy of the armed services or stayed in any of their accommodation.

I really liked school meals though.

 

I was reminded about the other task. It was to put the VAX vacuum cleaner in the garage. I did buy it years ago for DIY cleaning up but it became the upstairs vacuum. When Aditi replaced it with an upright cleaner I was supposed to return the VAX to the garage. Now done, so the study no longer looks like the UK vacuum cleaner strategic reserve.

Tony

[Horsetan]

....The food at RAF Akrotiti was like a royal banquet compared with what the slop jockeys were dishing out at the other end of Cyprus.

 

That's the first time I've ever heard that phrase.

 

I was once told that a reason why Army food was sometimes so bad was that it was meant to put soldiers into a thoroughly filthy mood, and hence more effective fighters. Dunno whether that is actually true or not.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone

 

It's just stopped raining, having been raining for most of the morning so I've spent the morning in the cellar, No 2 base board is now finished, I'm just waiting for the glue to set then I can give it all a good sanding down before applying a couple of coats of paint.

 

Ava's school are having a coffee morning on Friday and I've been asked if I'd make a cake for it, so that is something that I'll also have to do before they all come for tea on Thursday. I've decided to make them a large carrot cake, so I'd best get some carrots I think!

 

As the rain has stopped I might go outside and move the stuff that is stored behind the shed so that I can make a start on removing the old fencing.

 

Back later.

[Tony_S]

That's the first time I've ever heard that phrase.

 

I was once told that a reason why Army food was sometimes so bad was that it was meant to put soldiers into a thoroughly filthy mood, and hence more effective fighters. Dunno whether that is actually true or not.

I don't recall my father ever complaining about army food. Though he did say for a few weeks while they were drawing rations from the US Army they did eat especially well.

[Happy Hippo]

 

HH, Sodexo is now your catering partner in those parts of the world. Just don't ask for a glass of water without paying for it! 

That is not what the troops call it, more like Sh*tdexo.