Early Risers.

[New Haven Neil]

after some nice Christmas Music from the group a "bring it and eat it" tea was enjoyed by all.

 

Neil

 

I know a retired vitinry who might be able to do the meccano removal sooner rather than later.. all I can say is "ouch"

 

baz

 

'Yorkshire' Vitnery, Baz?  Only the best...

[Gwiwer]

Evening all.

 

Firstly apologies for having missed numerous days and probably as many noteworthy events.  The past week has been one of the more challenging in recent years.  I am still here despite attempts (various) to disrupt matters.

 

I have spent most of the past week in training at the impressive Notwork Fail / Sarf Western Trains facility in Blazingsmoke Basingstoke.  Observant passengers might know it as the building proclaiming itself to be Basingstoke Campus just visible above the cutting east of the station and north of the line.  I will say this - I have never encountered a training facility even remotely close to the quality of this one.  And I've seen a few.  

 

It takes just over two hours each way to get there and back which added to a full day makes for a very early start and a somewhat tired Rick once home.  Factor in the cluster**** which has been SWR recently (not their own fault - the repeated signalling problems are likely to be laid at NR's doorstep as are the associated costs) and getting home - particularly - has not been an exact science by any means.

 

Then there was the hack on my Messenger account which has left me positively sickened having seen what was posted in my name as it is utterly inappropriate and has resulted in some unfortunate comments being directed back at me.  A certain amount of damage control has been required but I fear some of the damage may have to be lived with.  Changed security protocols on my account should see to it that there can be no repeat but it is most unlikely the offender(s) will ever be found let alone dealt with in any way.  If I do ever catch them they might wish to note that socially popular parts of their anatomy would be in immediate danger of serious damage.

 

SWMBO has suffered a severe cold through the week taking much of it off work and therefore leaving me with more than the usual amount of domestic stuff to deal with and in much less than the usual time.  I still have yet to write a Christmas card for example but most other things are now up to date.  Amid all that I have - as is the rail way - had to study some Rules and Regulations as I have an initial assessment first thing tomorrow which must be passed.  It's one thing to say "It should be a breeze" but quite another to rise at 5am, travel to Amazingtoke Basingstoke and have a head clear enough to sit through an hour's examination at 8.30.  

 

Our student neighbours have all departed for their various festivities save for one upstairs who leaves in the morning.  She had arranged to borrow our vacuum and steam mop during the day to thoroughly clean up behind her housemates. Having lived in a good many student share-houses in my time I offered to help out expecting (correctly as it turned out) that they didn't have a single cleaning item between them and that a term's worth of mess had to be removed.  Apart from some spills on the carpet which I fear will not come out we managed to get the place looking acceptably clean within 90 minutes.  It's easy enough if you just get stuck in and aren't troubled by anything that might be found.  One extremely grateful young neighbour then joined us for afternoon tea and a lengthy chat before heading back up to pack her bags.  

 

There should at least be no nocturnal stampedes, drunken falling up stairs nor squeaking beds for a couple of weeks.  Some of them will be back for New Year, others not for a week or so afterwards.

 

So now it is time for a tired, slightly drained yet always up-beat and positive Rick to hit the sack and hope to sleep.  Night all.  If you happen through Basingstoke tomorrow you might just see / hear me on Train Despatch assessment.  Best wishes to all.

[BoD]

It should be a breeze, Rick.

But good luck anyway.

 

 

p.s. no need to thank me for this post you have enough on your plate at the moment.

p.p.s and you still find time to help the neighbours - amazing.

[BoD]

I told you not too.

[newbryford]

Bestest wishes to those that require.

 

Busy-ish day off. 

Went to MRC to airbrush the trackwork. Met up with a club member who was helping me. We decided to do it at the weekend, as we wouldn't annoy the other members on a normal club night with the paint fumes.

 

Although all doors were opened up and we had some ventilation, we still managed to set the smoke alarm off........... The fire alarm is very loud. There was no-one else in the shared building, but the security staff from the adjacent Oswaldtwistle Mills had to turn the alarm off and I had to ring the fire brigade to report a false alarm.

 

The a new ice rink visited - Deeside rink at Queensferry.

A good start and 3-0 up at the end of the first period. The Deeside Dragons are bottom of thre league with an average score of 2-10.

The boys took the foot off the gas for P2 and it ended 3-1. Last period and the fitness showed with a 9-1 finish. The last goal with 10 seconds to go was a player who had just played 5 games last week in the U20s IHF World Cup.

 

I may and go and do some modelling  for an hour or so.

 

One task at work tomorrow is to search the net for information for a new product.

 

Maybe catch up later.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Horsetan]

Hacked out twice. Got wet twice.

[Barry O]

Night to most, evening to some, morning to a few.

 

For residents in the UK.. sleep well and Rick, no worries mate!

 

Baz

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Rick, I hope you received permission from SWMBO before you went to the assistance of the young lady upstairs. Best of luck for tomorrow. The internet went dead slow again immediately SPOTY finished but I was expecting something like that to happen so I went and put the kettle on and made a pot of tea, having consumed one mug of tea I switched the computer on again about 20 minutes later and everything was fine.

[laurenceb]

Neil - as Baz put it, ouch!!

Rick - best of luck fot tomorrow

Night awl

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Tony_S]

We have never watched any of the celebrity dancing programmes but Aditi does like dance. I recorded "Happy Feet" tonight for her to watch later.

[emt_911]

A day has been spent at the workbench and something has been achieved for a change.

 

Rick - Best of luck for the morning.

 

Night all

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

 

ER for me as I'm off to Ex'ter for another OFs' seasonal nosh session.  

 

Rick - best of luck with Module SS1, don't forget the bits in the red boxes

[BR60103]

The RM with the free kit came this week. Yesterday I managed enough hours to get it looking like a building; today was spent looking for usable paint in the right colours for the trim and chimney pot.

 

I bought SWMBO's Christmas gift a few weeks ago. I'm now looking for it again.

I found a second part in a shop. I asked her what she thought of it --- and she bought it. Need a few hours out on my own.

[Ozexpatriate]

Spent the middle of the day watching the new Star Wars film with my 25 year-old son.

 

I am a life long* fan of the franchise, having watched them all first in their cinematic release starting with Episode IV in the summer of 1977 as a teenager. (In those pre-internet days, films released in the summer in the US arrived six months later in the antipodes.) It was truly revolutionary in it's day. I filled the margins of my 1978 school exercise books with doodles of dog fighting Tie and X-Wing fighters.

 

* (almost)

 

No spoilers or reviews from me here. (I made what spoiler-free comments I could in the relevant thread) but I will say that I enjoyed myself. My son and I sometimes play a game of guessing how many previews will be shown before the feature begins. My son made his wager at seven. There were eight, taking a total of 20 minutes.

 

I'm looking forward to a week without business travel, having spent at least part of six of the last seven weeks on the road. This is awkward with packages arriving, but my son dutifully patrolled each day and I don't think any are missing. The normally reliable US Postal Service seems to have neglected my written instructions to resume delivery of the mail on Friday, so I am off to tilt windmills at the Post Office tomorrow. Perhaps I filled in the form incorrectly? Perhaps that is giving them too much benefit of the doubt?

 

Our non-rainy December continues, though we are promised a 90% chance of rain on Tuesday. This time last year we'd already had two wintry precipitation events. It feels like we've barely flirted with a frost this year, though apparently it did reach freezing while I was away last week. It was unpleasantly cool standing outside waiting for the cinema to open this morning, given the coat I chose.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

As part of a busy day yesterday I wrote off a face flannel.  This, though tiresome, is better than having to source an emergency substitute on the way to St Pancras first thing in the morning as happened a few years back.  I have to collect my new carpet slippers this morning so will divert via Boots and see what is available.  After that, I return to the task of stowing what needs to be taken on holiday in a compact and orderly fashion.  Wednesday draws ever closer.

 

Amid the saga of decomposing textile I printed off the German words to "Silent Night" in case the opportunity arises to sing it with other members of the tour group.  It did on Christmas Eve last year when we were at the house of the hotel owner, Herr Muller, enjoying gluhwein and brownies before a torchlight procession back to the hotel.  Now Herr Muller is under the impression that he can play the trumpet.  His rendition of Silent Night was given an impromptu vocal accompaniment.  For quite unconnected reasons we are staying at a different hotel this year.

 

Little else of note is planned this week, so warm thoughts as always to all in distress and recovery

 

Chris

[TheQ]

Sadly the Jobs at the Norwich Colemans Mustard factory are in doubt, they shared a site with Britvic who made  Robinsons juces there. Britvic are pulling out with 249 job losses, leaving Colemans with a 2/3 empty site to pay for, so the 100 Jobs that make Mustard are also in Danger..

[AndyB]

Morning all,

Start of the last week before the Christmas - most welcome- break.

A day of staring at spreadsheets and trying to square circles awaits. 

But before that, the joy of the A3 beckons. 

Have a good one everybody. 

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl. Inner Temple Here.

 

A reasonable Night sleep of about 6 hours.

When I got up at 04:00 it was raining heavily, but by the time I left at 06:00 the skies were clear and the temperature dropping. Once at work at 06:40 there was frost on the ground.

 

It's a bit warmer in the lab... The Power to the A/C tripped out at 17:57 on Friday, the guys who came in, in the morning spotted it and opened the door to the outer lab and put some fans at the door floor to blow cold air in, which then brought the lab temperature down to below 29C. I've had the lab supplies reset and at the moment were are running, but I'll have to keep an eye on it. I won't be able to work in the lab till at least 6 hours after reaching 23 C which it hasn't yet, its showing 27C and the A/C has been on 15 minutes...

So mean time I'll finish the paperwork that never arrived on Wednesday, then do what I can on the next major equipment, in the outer lab. 

 

The Boss won't be happy,

A, He dosen't like it when the lab is off line due to the grief he gets

B, He put on a test programme which has been running all weekend, so all those results will be rubbish and he'll probably have to wait till next week end for the time on the equipment.

 

26.9 C

 

Time too.. go print check and sign some certificates...

[andyram]

Morning all and generic greetings and good wishes as we enter the final week before the big day. Another busy weekend has limited my time on here although I skim read through much of the thread last night. Congrats to those who have had successful test results etc. I can't help but feel intrigued by ChrisF's photographic fame and his impending "European tour". I hope the holiday proves enjoyable.

 

A brief update from this part of Derbyshire. I broke up for the Christmas holiday on Friday and enjoyed a night out with the staff that evening. A nice meal in a local bar was accompanied by the dawning realisation that I was sat at the more mature end of the table! (Well - mature in years at least). There were plenty of laughs and smiles, helped by the absence of the boss!

 

Over the weekend there was the usual pre-Christmas family party at my parent's house and a Christmas meal in a pub with the in-laws. We also found time to clean out the school's guinea pigs, who have come to stay for the festive break. We are both shocked by their condition - clearly overweight and with claws that resemble Freddie Kruger. They have obviously not been well looked after!

 

In order to accommodate the guinea pigs sizeable cage I had to do some tidying up of the spare bedroom. This has become something resembling a dumping ground of late as various Amazon packages have been deposited in there ahead of Christmas. At least the rearranging has allowed me to get to the layout again. I was actually able to run a train for the first time in quite while. My only recent model railway activity being restricted to running the Santa Express set around the bottom of the tree!

 

A busy day beckons today. Sarah has succumbed to her usual pre Christmas flu and so I will be doing the running about. Amber is at school today so I will be taking her in. Then it will be a quick trip into work to tidy up the classroom before heading up to the crem to lay a wreath for the grandparents. I am sure there are other things I have forgotten.

 

Have a good day.

 

Best wishes

 

 

Andy

Edited December 18, 2017 by andyram

[grandadbob]

Good morning,

Another frosty start here and it should stay dry but coldish with some spells of sunshine.

Had a great day yesterday and even managed to play with trains before the family invasion. A good time was had by all with much noise and laughter.

Still a bit of clearing up to do this morning but nothing else planned.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited December 18, 2017 by grandadbob

[emt_911]

Morning all. A chilly start to the day and I will have to venture out a little later.

 

I've been providing some telephone support for an engineer for the last 2 hours which for a change I can charge for.

 

Some ironing and modelling planned for the day.

 

Time for another coffee.

 

Have a good day everyone

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Bright but cold here this morning but the predicted fog for tomorrow becomes more widespread with every forecast. Many years ago I worked with a chap who was a meteorologist with the RAF in WW2. He explained the fog is caused when relatively warmer damp air is overlaid by a layer of cold air (called an inversion). Unless there is something to move the cold air the warmer air becomes trapped and the moisture in that air forms larger droplets leading to fog. 

Edited December 18, 2017 by PhilJ W

[jamie92208]

Morning all from a sunny village.

 

Rick, that regime sounds exhausting particularly the cleaning. I hope that you get you virtual world problems sorted as well.

 

Yesterday went very well. Morning service then home to start the dinner, Martin, Katie and Ryan arrived, then Beth got home from church. Martin and Katie went off to visit his grandpa and for once I was left to cook the dinner in peace while Beth enjoyed herself looking after Ryan. The meal worked out well. Roast beef with roast potatoes, roast parsnips, cauliflower cheese, carrots, green beans and a surprise addition of some braised red cabbage that a friend at church had given Beth, This was all followed by Apple crumble and custard. Then before we dropped asleep the younger ones set off back to Lincoln and we went back to Church for the carol service. Probably our last in Angleterre. It went well and Beth did a fabulous solo first verse to Once in Royal.

 

Then some friends from church came back and drink was consumed and a great evening of chat was enjoyed. Not a bad day at all.

 

I've been back to church and tidied round already and am now waiting for Beth to return from Asda. I did gain some brownie points by finding the missing Christmas earring that had gone walkabout last night. I ought to open a book on the shelf life of said brownie points.

 

Hopefully some muddling will be done this afternoon and then an evening at the club bringing point motors to life. Not a bad day.

 

Chris I am intrigued as to how a face flannel is written off, Visions of it being trapped between the face and a mirror or somehow getting caught and torn on gnashers are filling my untidy mind.

 

Neil, I wish you well with the meccano removal. I still have some proper spanners made at Binns Road if they are needed.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[DDolfelin]

A certain amount of seasonal clog popping is in progress.

Unfortunately MiL looks ready to join in.

A somewhat fraught atmosphere at Chez DD at the moment.