Early Risers.

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon all,

 

Faux Friday duly struck and after herself's appointment with the hairdresser we duly crossed the hills and the big (not really) river parking just in time to see containers whizzing past along the fence line - well it looked like that but they were really on a train two fence lines away.  So that was Waitrose duly done and dusted having decided on the menu for the coming four days, which no doubt be forgotten by tomorrow this evening.  Then back across the river, second bridge of the day and this one was free, then via the country lanes diversion around the main road rebuilding site and into Tesco fora bit more shopping and to collect a couple of prescriptions.  

 

At Tesco Iwas duly waylaid by the pharamcist for 'a review' which also included dietary advice which included such things as sweet potato (which I replied should be banned from Britain by law), avocado (almost as bad) and olives (even worse and only good for squashing put the juice - the rest of those things is undoubtedly best used as biomass in a power station (honest, it really is used for that - excellent idea I think).

 

Then home to quiche (homemade) and a doughnut (Tesco, very nice).

 

Sorry to hear about Debs' John - good wishes to them both and everyone else try to enjoy the rest of your day, I'm off to do further battle with the oak tree.

[BoD]

Best wishes Debs.

Thoughts are with you.

[Tony_S]

Aditi's Uncle (MiL's brother) in India is unwell and needs surgery. Various medical relatives have tried to explain to MiL what her brother's operation involved. So Aditi volunteered after doing a Google search. Hence how I found myself this morning hearing Aditi explain orchidectomy to her mother. She did start by enquiring whether or not MiL had her hearing aid in.

[trisonic]

Shock News: Maria will not devastate Britain (although the weather will get a bit nasty). Actually the combined track of Maria and Lee now takes them up the Severn Estuary - but it’s quite likely to change before Sunday...

 

In the meantime some doggies to cheer you all up:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers! Pete.

 

 

 

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

At Tesco Iwas duly waylaid by the pharamcist for 'a review' which also included dietary advice which included such things as sweet potato (which I replied should be banned from Britain by law), avocado (almost as bad) and olives (even worse and only good for squashing put the juice - the rest of those things is undoubtedly best used as biomass in a power station (honest, it really is used for that - excellent idea I think).

I was a slow convert to the joys of olives, but have enjoyed avocados for a very long time - particularly in their most elevated form (tableside guacamole preparation, which apart from the theatre, involves onions, tomatoes, jalapeños and lime jucie, eaten with tortilla chips and cerveza).

 

The whole yam and sweet potato family is one I am less keen on. I did enjoy a version where alternating rows of sliced apple and sweet potato were baked in maple syrup, and am willing to consume it spiced and hidden inside ravioli, otherwise it's not high on my list of vegetables along with members of the squash and pumpkin family.

 

Weather on the west coast is quite delightful and unseasonably warm (30°C) in the Bay area though that is to change soon. Clear skies and the fresh coat of snow on the peaks of the Cascade volcanoes made them very visible, where a couple of weeks ago they were shrouded in wildfire smoke. East of the Cascades was still very hazy (and presumably smoky). Evidently the first snow of the season did fall on the Crater Lake rim last week as forecast.

 

No photographs this trip - I had an aisle seat. It took me a little while for me to decide it wasn't rude to ask my seat mate by the window (who was very engrossed in his mobile 'phone video game) to open the shades. I'm glad I did. Clear cloudless skies made it a terrific day for flying.

 

The new Apple Corporation headquarters building is nearing completion. It's (very) large, annulus form is really quite dramatic from the air. (It is well advanced from Google's aerial view.)

Edited September 28, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I love sweet potatoes and black olives but advocados I'm not so keen on. I first tasted black olives when I holidayed in Greece 40 years ago, only thing is that the Greeks must keep the best for themselves, the ones I had in Greece were as big as plums and very juicy.

 

Even more rare are the “Blue Jets”. These things (all of them) are huge.....

 

 

 

best, Pete.

I can't help thinking that if an Alien saw that lot from outer space he (or she or it) would not want to visit this planet, and thats before they've met the residents.

[grandadbob]

Avocados and olives are fine by me. Sweet potato is an invention of The Devil.

 

Talking of food I was allowed to test sausage rolls and mince pies earlier. They passed muster.   Tomorrow there will be more baking........and testing. 

[BoD]

Avocados and olives are fine by me. Sweet potato is an invention of The Devil.

 

Talking of food I was allowed to test sausage rolls and mince pies earlier. They passed muster.   Tomorrow there will be more baking........and testing. 

Careful you don't burn yourself.

[New Haven Neil]

Oh Smiffy, what  a shame for those kids.

[Tony_S]

Olives, I don't like at all except for olive oil.

Sweet potato, avoid if i can, eat if I must.

Avocado, not especially impressed.

 

I don't think Robbie likes olives, he doesn't pick them from our trees.

Tony

[Coombe Barton]

Got home to find  package on my desk. Turned it over and it said it was from The Titfield Thunderbolt.

 

I'd forgotten I'd ordered the Wantage Tramway book. Been a bit busy.

[PeterBB]

My gap weeks included emptying dustbins...all politicians should be made to do this, cleaning toilets (ditto), preparing chipped potatoes (ditto), running a car park (ditto), beings bingo checker and cleaning floors... I thoroughly enjoyed the education

 

Baz

 

We were expected to go to our mapping areas during the 'vacation' times although I did manage, and enjoy, time as a Christmas postie.

[jamie92208]

We were expected to go to our mapping areas during the 'vacation' times although I did manage, and enjoy, time as a Christmas postie.

 

I left school in December 71 and had 8 months to wait to go to Uni so got a job with BP at Sunbury on Thames working as a sort of holiday relief in a set of labs. The wage was the princely sum of £17.0s.0d per week changing to £17.00p in Feb 72.   I mainly enjoyed the 8 months in London and was able to move all my worldly goods back home on the Thames Clyde direct to Settle from St Pancras.  My brother was even allowed to drive onto the cab road where the escalators are now so that my stuff could be put straight into the brake van.

 

Jamie

[Barry O]

Off on a tour round part of the island early doors tomorrow so may not get a post in.

Hopefully QE will be here when we get back (the Cunard one not HMS)

 

Sleep well most..have a great afternoon and evening to others. Pete how is the houses ve going?

 

Baz

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[bluebottle]

         We had a grand afternoon out in Weston Park, today!

 

[andyram]

Evening all. Another quick check in. Not the best prep for the interview tomorrow. Sarah is ill so I was landed with some more Avon deliveries, followed by putting Amber to bed. Our dear daughter chose tonight of all nights to have a major meltdown. Over tiredness I think. Things have had to be done in a rush before sorting all of the cats out. Sarah has fallen asleep on the sofa in the lounge. I have left her to sleep - she needs it too.

 

Have a good Friday all.

[laurenceb]

Thoughts with Dick and Debs & John

Night awl

[BSW01]

Evening all

 

Last nights heavy down pour turned into beautiful sunshine today, but as I mentioned yesterday, I took a day off from the fencing and took advantage of having the place to myself and set to work in the kitchen instead. Well I've been a busy, I made over 3.5L of spicy apple and parsnip soup, we had some for dinner and Sheila really liked that, I also made a carrot cake and some apple and cinnamon crumble, which I served with vanilla custard and it went down really well with the grandchildren.

 

Tonight I celebrated the return of all the grandchildren to their parents with a glass of Guinness.

 

I don't particularly like olives, but will it them if necessary, but I quite like sweet potatoes!

 

Goodnight all.

[The Stationmaster]

 

The new Apple Corporation headquarters building is nearing completion. It's (very) large, annulus form is really quite dramatic from the air. (It is well advanced from Google's aerial view.)

 

Interesting place to put your HQ building - in a valley which has a major fault line on one side and four smaller fault lines on the other side which sort of suggests something about the existence of the valley being linked to past tectonic activity.  But no doubt the building has both the right sort of construction and foundations to suit the geology of the site?

G'night all

[Gwiwer]

Mad travels day two.

 

Having retired to bed at 02.00 after the Expedition to Scotland I was up at 08.00 and away to Manchester largely to inspect the vastly extended tram network which was still in its infancy the last time I set foot in that city.  It goes for miles and now requires 120 trams to run it.  Having recently arrived home from the world's largest tram system in Melbourne Manchester compares well.  Melbourne runs 500 trams over a vast system but Manchester's might reach slightly farther from the city centre.  I also like the "steam-tug" toot on their trams which replaces the much more familiar gong.   

 

And so back once more to the Hill though not without dramas.  While I was watching proceedings in a warm and sunny Manchester someone had been struck by a train at Milton Keynes with the inevitable result of a line closure and everything chaotic and displaced.  I arrived at Piccadilly around 19.00 intending to watch a few movements but found the 19.15 Euston was "delayed" which led me to check why.  As that set was still at the platform by 19.45, there was no sign of the set arriving to form the 19.55 and the set to form my booked 20.15 hadn't ever left Euston I enquired of the train manager.  He exercised his discretion - his words - and allowed me to travel.  We left at 19.50 and pulled into Euston at 22.06.  I later learned the 20.15 did run but left Piccadilly at around 21.30.

 

Another very easy transit of the Capital saw me safely aboard the 22.33 Kingston Roundabout.  If you planned a trip where you arrived on one side of London and departed from the other a mere 27 minutes later - having walked down to and waited for the Northern Line and then ridden (rather than walked up) the escalators at Waterloo you'd wonder if it could be done.  I have managed it twice in as many evenings and with no undue haste either.

 

It's off to the kitchen for a quick late-night snack now before a kip.  A much-needed shower can wait until the morning not least because I'm home alone

It's Friday.  Have a good one.  I'll be back after this sleep.

Edited September 29, 2017 by Gwiwer

[trisonic]

Here is a very interesting video of a SuperCell T-Storm over Amarillo, Texas. Some superb shots of the odd “Red Sprites”.

 

The first photos of tho phenomena were taken in 1989 (first color in 1994). Pilots had reported them previously but had suffered some derision (!). There is a video floating around of shots from the ISS, so they must be kosher.......

 

 

Best, Pete.

[trisonic]

Long distance flights.

 

I did plenty to Narita, Japan  when the Russians were still Soviets  you had to go from London via Anchorage (and vice versa). I hated the flight back because you crossed the IDL backwards, i.e.  taking off from Narita on a Thursday night you landed in Anchorage on Thursday morning before you took off! That really messed my head up. All those flights were, thank God, BA First Class.

 

I did the same from LA (but due to schedules went back to London) those flights were tolerable because we used, what was then considered the best airline for service and comfort - Singapore Airlines. Super and beautiful cabin crew...

 

Other interesting flights (for different reasons) were the great North South routes (with little East- West deviance)  like London to Rio de Janeiro or South Africa. If you ever get to Rio take the railway to the top of Corcovado.

 

 

Best, Pete.

Edited September 29, 2017 by trisonic

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

We have a rather damp, but mild morning in this part of the world.

 

Best wishes to both Dick and Debs and John.  I managed to miss both of the postings yesterday.

 

I have a meeting to go to later on, so I guess I had better get on - but first time for a coffee!

 

Have a good day everyone...

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

There  may be some rain to start with but hopefully will be drier and brighter later.

Up earlyish as there's lots to do today for birthday celebrations for The Boss. First task is to take her tea which has been requested for 6.30. I doubt if she will want breakfast in bed, she doesn't normally.

After that I'm required to go and get some bread and then onto final domestic duties.

Chris will be I/C catering as usual. Even though the day is for her nobody else is allowed in "her" kitchen although there have been lots of offers of assistance from children, grandchildren, friends and neighbours. Everybody in fact except me because I know better. The only person who would have been allowed in there is our dear late friend Terri as for many years they did catering for weddings etc. together.

With a bit of luck by lunchtime I may find myself heading towards the layout where I can hide for a couple of hours until I'm required for driving duties collecting some of our guests.

 

Have a good one, I know I will.     

 

Bob.