Early Risers.

[Barry O]

A few pints of Leeds pale have been drunk with some friends. A mugadecaff now awaits....

Sleep well

Baz

[Coombe Barton]

My first rule for the over 50's male is to always attend AGM's otherwise you might end up with a job.

Rule 2 is never to ask a question at an AGM because if the chairman's any good you'll get a job.

You obviously disobeyed rule 2.

 

Hope it works out OK.

 

Jamie

 

Oh it will.

 

I was writing a book.

 

I'm now writing four.

 

But they're giving me the time to do it.

Edited January 9, 2018 by Coombe Barton

[The Stationmaster]

Evening all,

 

Well to Reading we went although the trains were somewhat awry following a person on the line interfacing with a train earlier in the day.  In fact coming home at 16.45 the trains were still somewhat awry for the same reason notwithstanding 'the incident' having occurred during the early part of the morning peak and lines allegedly only being closed for 2.5 hours.  Anyway the deed was duly done - for early delivery reasons the replacement iMac was ordered from Heelas John Lewis where I was somewhat amused (honest) to find the sales person who 'helped' us not only knew less than me about computers but couldn't even tell a 27inch monitor from a 21.5 inch monitor (tip, the 7" one is massive, I think you'd need a barn to keep it in).   So the housekeeping account got a right hammering.

 

After further somewhat helpless conversation with said salesperson - who claimed his subject was mediæval history, but didn't showed that heunderstand Latin; he probably got booted at the end of Year 1 I reckon - we went off doing some shopping looking for at bed linen and decided to go to the Apple shop in the hope of finding intelligent life among the sales force.  That excursion duly greatly informed Mrs Stationmaster so having followed the helpful salesperson's advice to 'go away and have a drink and a think' we drank and thunk and then returned to further intelligent help and the purchase of a very early birthday pressie for Mrs Stationmaster (in which process the housekeeping account did not suffer but my modelling token fund took something of a hit).

 

All of which left only one real question which while quite understandable for thin foldy-uppy 'puters left me wondering why an umping great iMac hasn't got a blinkin' dvd drive which leaves me having to buy a separate one and wondering if it will be capable of burning DVDs if it can slot them in.  This I presume is progress (and why is the SD card slot round the back instead of on the side?).  No doubt I'll get used to such foibles.

 

And because of this excursion I have managed to avoid drowning in froth or facing too many shrieks of 'nothing in it for me' (of which there were more than enough within 2 hours of Hornby unwrapping time), oh and there is something for me - which two of us on RM web asked for very nicely and very directly in a series of private discussions a few months back and we are promised exactly what we were asking for.

 

G'night all.

[Tony_S]

 

https://m.johnlewis.com/apple-usb-superdrive-cd-dvd-reader-writer/p231666132?searchTerm=Apple+CD+writer

specifically mentions writing.

Edited January 8, 2018 by Tony_S

[andyram]

I notice that there is a thread called something like 'Film and TV show errors'.

 

I can't see what all the fuss is about.

 

I am told there are howlers much closer to home ........ Have they ever looked in the 'Layout topics' thread?

Oi!! I started that thread!!!!!!!

Actually I started it some time previous, but resurrected it after seeing the world's worst continuity error in one of the dodgy Christmas films we watched during the festive season. It was actually started as a bit of fun and not to be taken too seriously.

 

As for layout threads - you must have been reading mine recently!!!!

 

Anyway greetings to you all. I hope the first day of the working week has not been too taxing. Thoughts with the ill and the absent.

 

Today has been Sarah's birthday so straight after work it was off to the local pub for a meal. After Amber had gone to bed, and was visited by the tooth fairy, I caught up on the Channel 4 railway programme. I had starte watching on catch up last night until Amber had woken up. I must admit it was a very enjoyable hour and I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

 

Best wishes

 

Andy

[BSW01]

Evening everyone

 

Another frosty start to the day, but as I wasn’t going anywhere it didn’t matter. Sheila however, was off to her Zumba class, so had to wrap up warmly, as she didn’t want a lift, preferring to walk, as she says it acts as her warm up!

 

As I was once again home alone, I made full use of the kitchen and made a carrot cake as requested for Wednesday’s afters. I’ll decorate it on Wednesday morning. So, once it was set aside to cool, I again went down to middle earth and continued practicing lining with a bow/ruling, I’m getting a little better but getting the right paint viscosity right is tricky, still it’s all practice.

 

Goodnight all.

[newbryford]

Near miss on the commute home tonight.

 

Bl**dy idiot just stood in the middle of an unlit country road on a blind bend.

 

Good job I was on the ball with the brakes and it had four legs to move that bit faster.

I've no idea what sort of deer it was, apart from a startled one!

 

Sciatica is giving me grief when I sit down for any length of time, so it made a good excuse to get on my feet and do some work layout wiring. 

 

So far, two of the three power zones are up and running, with all control points (9 of them) all linked in and working.

I'm hoping that tomorrow, or at worst Wednesday, will see the big switch on of the main office test track. I don't doubt that the rest of the day will be spent playing trains testing it.

Fitting 19 point motors can then carried out at leisure. 

 

Interesting reading over on the red and blue box opening threads. I'm secretly quite pleased that there isn't too much current day stuff to bother my credit card as I'm already committed to a bit of already pre-ordered stock that's due in the next few months.

 

Have a good Tuesday folks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[BR60103]

 After Amber had gone to bed, and was visited by the tooth fairy, I caught up on the Channel 4 railway programme.

Have you told her how the tooth fairy carries a pair of pliers, in case she doesn't have the right change and has to take another tooth?

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

We have another mild and slightly blustery morning.

 

There isn't a lot else to report, so I guess it is time for a coffee!

 

Have a good day everyone...

[Smiffy2]

Ah, first-time apple-buyer I take it? Mr Jobs company philosophy is that his products are "design" and therefore automagically must be considered as "a great work of true Art" (yes, with capital A!) that should receive full and undivided attention from not only the user, buy any bipedal living being in the room and within a radius of 41,000 miles, w/o distraction from anything else! It's therefore pretty much mandated such device should be placed on a white desk in a white room with no further decorations, as these go against the principle that this great work of true Art should not need to compete for the attention as earlier mentioned.... This also allows full access by the user to any physical interfaces the engineers designers couldn't bare protruding from the user side of the product as this would ruin said design...

 

 

 

Not much to report here, in <30 hrs I'll be reporting to the first meeting of the app-pilot at the municipal employment office. We'll see.

 

Really?

[Smiffy2]

https://m.johnlewis.com/apple-usb-superdrive-cd-dvd-reader-writer/p231666132?searchTerm=Apple+CD+writer

specifically mentions writing.

I've got one of those - I use it with the laptops, as the iMac is an older model with a Big Slot I don't need it for that. It's absolutely fine, in fact I've just used it for downloading music from CDs. It plays DVDs as you'd expect.

 

I really don't have a problem paying for well-designed, high quality products that work seamlessly...

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all.  I write having bathed and become refreshed in the process. 

 

The affair of the missing tablets was duly investigated and resolved.  A slightly shamefaced assistant confessed that she had removed the tablets to make up one of those pre-packed meds dispensers where everything is placed in compartments labelled with when it is to be taken.  She had taken the statins from the wrong box.  All was swiftly rectified and we parted on good terms. 

 

Today sees the first visit of the year to Poorly Pal.  He sounded a bit grumpy on the phone so we will see what if anything is afoot.  Tonight the Hitchin chapter of the Royal Corps of Train Spotters has a show about the Welsh Highland, always a fascinating subject.  Tomorrow I take a leisurely drive to Cardiff, returning after lunch on Thursday.  It is one way of escaping all the gibbering about newly announced models.  The other, of course, is not reading the threads in the first place.

 

Lots more to read so warm thoughts and felicitations to those missing, in recovery and in distress.

 

 

Chris

[AndyB]

Evening all,

....

 

And because of this excursion I have managed to avoid drowning in froth or facing too many shrieks of 'nothing in it for me' (of which there were more than enough within 2 hours of Hornby unwrapping time), oh and there is something for me - which two of us on RM web asked for very nicely and very directly in a series of private discussions a few months back and we are promised exactly what we were asking for.

 

G'night all.

 

Forgot that Hornby were announcing their new trains, so thanks for the prompt.

Were it not for the fact that the wheels are about 8 or 9mm too far apart for my track I'd say there was loads of tempting stuff. 

I just fear for GDB's wallet.  

[Barry O]

Hey up!

 

Brian W a couple of drops of lighter fluid in the paint then stir it for a while before using it for lining.

 

We seem to have acquired a small leak in our central heating..it won't retain pressure so we may be waiting for our Mr fix it to arrive and sort out the problem.

 

Have as good a day as you can everyone.

 

Baz

[andyram]

Morning all. Still dark and a little damp here in Derby. A slightly later start this morning due to attending a training course. Just as well after another disrupted night. There seems to have been a lot of those recently and sleep has been severely lacking. Amber once again woke up and decided to move into our bed resulting in my move into her room for the night. It seems to be happening every night at the moment. To be fair to my daughter she had an excuse last night - it seems she is starting with another cold type bug. Her temperature was up this morning and she appeared flushed and her croaky voice suggests a sore throat. A day on the sofa beckons for her.

 

For me the late start is the calm before the storm. The course will be followed by a lunchtime dash across Derby back to school to cover a class for the afternoon. The class are off on a walk across the fields into the woods. It could be muddy - I hope the rain holds off.

 

Have a good day all.

 

Best wishes

 

Andy

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Tea made, dog released.

I think there may be some tidying up today. Aditi has volunteered to host the visiting lecturer for the French Circle meetings on Wednesday and Thursday.

Have a good day.

Tony

[BoD]

Morning all.

 

Talking of computers my hard drive started making a noise last night each time I loaded a photograph. I've not heard that before. I will have another listen in today. Other than that Sprat and Winkling continues, although I may have been nominated to take the grandson to the dentists after school.

 

Have a good day.

[AndrewC]

 

Moaning all. Little to say. Burger all happening in the boring borough. 

 

Had a peek at the Bachby threads. I never knew whine could be frothed up like that. Obviously nothing in there for me. My 2018 budget is blown anyway with about $2000 in pre-orders from PWRS. 

 

Bit of a rain man moment yesterday. As its a new year I started thinking back. SWMBO has a calendar in the kitchen from the Awkward Yeti. (suggested reading online) 2 of the characters are heart and brain. On the January page, Heart is always happy as he sets a new personal record for the number of days alive, every day. 

 

Next month sees 8 years at my current employer. The longest I've ever stayed with one company. (shortest was 2 days)

March is 10 years since we moved into the house. (14 since we moved to the UK) The longest I've ever lived in one place.

The landrover will have been with us for 13 years in a couple of weeks. The longest I've ever owned a car. Scary thing is, it's not even in the top 5 for mileage. 300k+ km on the Toyota Tercel we had took that record in 1/3 of the time. 

With the pinched nerve in my back, I took more sick days in 2018 than in the previous 20 years combined. 

Last Saturday was 26 years since I met SWMBO. 23 married coming up in May. 

27 years this year since I started playing competitive darts. 

20 years since mum died. 

35 years since dad. 

 

Can somebody tell me where the **** my life went? All of this seems like only yesterday. 

 

Enjoy your day. 

[Happy Hippo]

 

As for layout threads - you must have been reading mine recently!!!!

 

 

Have you ever noticed that I have neither thread nor blog?

 

I wonder why..............?

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Another dull start to the day and it will probably stay that way.

 

Forgot that Hornby were announcing their new trains, so thanks for the prompt.

Were it not for the fact that the wheels are about 8 or 9mm too far apart for my track I'd say there was loads of tempting stuff. 

I just fear for GDB's wallet.  

 

Have no fear Andy, I've got it covered! So much so in fact that even the email yesterday reminding us that the balance for our forthcoming cruise needs to be paid this month holds no worries. 

However I must not get too excited and carried away with any new offerings I may fancy.

 

Normal Tuesday service will be resumed later with Gemma and Joe visiting after school. Abbie started her new job last week at Steve's firm and is really enjoying it. It's a 3 month placement in a new temporary section but there is the chance that she will be kept on if the section is.  (Steve says that her manager is really impressed with her so far and wishes they'd employed her sooner so that's a good start.)

Even the commute into the big city has been good and hassle free. (that of course could change on a daily basis)  In fact she gets to & from work quicker than when she was working at Colliers Wood.

 

A walk to the local shops is required shortly and after that the day is mine......with a little bit of luck.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[jamie92208]

Morning all from the Charente Maritime where the temperature might even reach double figures according to the seaweed twirlers, maybe they use a string of onions over here.

 

Yesterday the layout got safely delivered and now resides in the shed. Debs if you are watching please look away now.

 

Here's a pallet being unloaded

And here are the first few boards in the shed.

After all the excitement a stew and dumplings was made and eaten and then the world got put to rights with the assistance of some Scottish medicine.

 

This morning it's off out to do a but of shopping and to see the bank manager. She's blonde, in her 30's and speaks in a lovely French accent so it's a hard life. We may also have to see the young lady at the patisserie and purchase some of her wares.

 

We may even spend a bit of time putting a few boards up in the shed.

 

Regards to all and hope to hear good news from Debs and all the others that ail.

 

Jamie

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A bit grey this morning but at least its dry. Not much else to report so its be back later.

[81C]

Having spent most of the day yesterday trying to buy one of those tab coffee machines I'm still undecided as to what to buy and how much to spend I've now come back to the Idea of trying to source 

some quality instant/ground coffee the jury is still out.

As none of the family were around X### day we had our X### dinner together last night and it was SWMBO's    birthday as well we had a nice family evening together ,today is

Bubble & Squeak day    it looks like I will be using my birthday present later.