Early Risers.

[Purley Oaks]

Morning all

 

Up with a mug of ginger tea; chemo put me off regular tea for some reason three years ago.

 

Gabe still sleeping like a baby, she was out at a party last night til 3am so probably won't rise until this afternoon. We may or may not venture out later to see The Favourite. Looking forward to seeing Mary Queen of Scots, too, but that may be a Scottish thing.

 

I would have been one of John's Excel students a decade or so ago (a late starter); found it really tricky at first but came to really enjoy it for social statistics. A good benefit from computer technology.

 

Glad that you enjoyed your trip, Chris, and can now get ready for the big one.

 

Hope everyone's day goes well

 

Mal

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Glad the Swiss adventure went well for Chris and John - a country I very much like although I'll freely admit that most of my visits have been in connection with work so came at a highly subsidised cost (which was very handy in Switzerland   ).  Back to reality and today will involve a trip to Tesco for some veg and a few oddments as we stuck to a single supermarket visit yesterday instead of doing both.  The visit to the trainspotting branch of Waitrose resulted in the sight of only one train and it was a Class 800 that was actually running on electricity however the journey home saw us passing beneath a (make me very) Cross-rail thingy at Cow Lane bridge, regrettably it appeared to be neither broken or falling into ever smaller pieces.  If I was the Queen I feel mightily insulted to have that route named after me.

 

So back to today and mostly no doubt spent either studying recent books or on here.  I had a more intensive look at Lightmoor's new booked on the Bala & Blanau Ffestiniog branch yesterday and while it is very good, with some fascinating stuff, it sadly lacks signalling diagrams compares poorly with their books on the proper (i.e. GWR) Barnstaple branch in particular and their earlier book on the Minehead branch.  But we can't have it all.

 

Have a good day one and all and I hope John that Sandy continues to make some positive progress with being able to take food.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Great to hear Sandy's improving and welcome back Chris. The bin wagons dawn chorus was this morning with the lesser spotted glass and bottle wagon very busy. They will next be back on Friday and then back to the usual Thursday slot. I'm trying to straighten out a long and narrow piece of 6mm MDF, at the moment its sitting on the floor weighed down with a couple of 7lb weights. Thats it for now, be back later.

[Gwiwer]

Morning all. Only 1 day 22 hours and some fluff until that wretched red remindef ceases counting down in my peripheral vision. And no its presebce will not in any way influence my browsing or buying habits.

 

The past couple of days have passed in a haze. The cold turned into bronchitis which has left me coughing up the contents of 2019’s entire production of vanilla slices. Most uncommonly I stayed in bed yesterday and the House of Fun had to manage without me. It did the trick. The worst is over though I still have frequent coughing fits.

 

News. The late parental home has finally reached the completion of sale stage that being due on 1st February. Following which it should be a reasonably smooth path to receiving the inhertited share of the estate. No big deal. Not even enough for a house deposit around here. But a modest buffer should misfurtune arrive on the doorstep. We remain joint owners of our house in Australia which is the other and somewhat more valuable asset in the portfolio as its market value creeps slowly towards $0.75m.

 

Late yesterday afternoon I exchanged messages with Neighbours (Upstairs) asking if I was free for tea. I was. It got me out of bed and by that time I was ready, as they say, to rock and roll. Neighbour 1 was nervously anticipating first date with a chap she had met through an online agency. Neighbour 2 was about to celebrate her 22nd lap of the sun. They left to collect Mr. Online Date at the station whereupon Neighbour 2 departed for a House of Falling Down Waters leaving the others to get to know each other.

 

Mixed results. Neighbour 2 was not in a good place having lost a job, had a rather unhappy festive season and was drinking heavily. I learned this morning that she was removed from the pub at 1am and called her father to take her home. That’s a 200-mile round trip in the middle of the night to retrieve a severely drunk and incapable daughter. Neighbour 1 who conveyed this information to me seems to have had an altogether better night as Mr. Online Date is still here and at some point through the night has been declared to be New Boyfriend.

 

Ah the joys of being young(er)

 

Today also marks the birthday of a dear friend in Cornwall. When we lived in the same town we hung out together. Me her, her twin sister and a mixed group of other locals. Twin sister left us without warning 10 years ago leaving a baby son which means friend (Cornish) always has a sad side to her birthday as twin sister is absent.

 

At least I can offer empathy, support and friendship with no strings attached. And a quick trip to Cornwall is planned in the near future.

 

Stay warm. Stay safe. Stay well if you can. I’m off to grab a coffee. If I am the cougher that makes SWMBO the cough-ee.

[81C]

Afternoon All 

Late on parade I had too much to do earlier, I recovered my Baldwin from the shop yesterday happy that it's working some of the scenery work needs ajusting with some

of the walls in the ravine tunnels are a bit tight having been using a small N gauge pannier to test the track circuit, it's dangerous for me to go in a model shop these day

I bought lots of clutter and ordered more.

With all this chatter about rail tours and other things in Switzerland once I get my travel insurance sorted I will be hopefully booking our trip for September as a birthday

treat better brush up on the yodeling and there's no need for the bell as I can now track SWMBO on here new phone. 

Which reminds me I must phone Andyram to order some stuff.

                                                                                                    enjoy your day  I.M. Skint 

[AndyB]

Afternoon all. 

Getting used to the new laptop. Clearly a case of "you pays your money...." but as I only use computers at home for a bit of browsing it is no great loss. 

 

My morning got off to a somewhat rushed start when the emergency call centre phoned - mum had activated her mobile alarm. 15 minutes later I was on site with mum convinced she hadn't pressed the pendant button. As my last view of my dad (barely alive) was of him lying on the floor having not been able to reach his pendant alarm I don't mind at all a call out. 

 

Still no inspiration about a layout design. Just a list of things on past layouts I didn't like. At present the garage is far too cold to spend any time in, so I guess this is a blessing in disguise - it'd be frustrating to have a dream layout ready for construction and being delayed by the weather. 

 

Anyway, have a nice remains of the day, peeps. 

[AndyID]

Morning all

 

Up with a mug of ginger tea; chemo put me off regular tea for some reason three years ago.

 

Gabe still sleeping like a baby, she was out at a party last night til 3am so probably won't rise until this afternoon. We may or may not venture out later to see The Favourite. Looking forward to seeing Mary Queen of Scots, too, but that may be a Scottish thing.

 

I would have been one of John's Excel students a decade or so ago (a late starter); found it really tricky at first but came to really enjoy it for social statistics. A good benefit from computer technology.

 

Glad that you enjoyed your trip, Chris, and can now get ready for the big one.

 

Hope everyone's day goes well

 

Mal

Had to force myself to learn how to make Excel draw graphs a few years ago. Eventually I got quite good at it and some of them were quite spectacular but I would have to start all over again if I had to do it today.

 

In the end it was a waste of time because VW didn't buy it, but at least we had a great holiday in Europe.

Edited January 5, 2019 by AndyID

[Gwiwer]

When I logged on to read the news

I saw a red thing in my way

It’s still there counting down, he spews,

I wish that thing would go away

 

In other news New Boyfriend is still in attendance and, I suspect, likely to remain so for another night. How do I know this? I have received messages from Upstairs conveying the information. She had been due to depart back to her Dorset family home and asked for a hand with the bags (usually carrying the hamster cage) but has cancelled for today .....

 

SWMBO has emerged from the bedroom wherein she has, as usual, spent much of her day relaxing and writing.

 

The final decorations are down

 

I guess it’s winter, then.

[Purley Oaks]

When I logged on to read the news

I saw a red thing in my way

It’s still there counting down, he spews,

I wish that thing would go away

 

 

The final decorations are down

 

I guess it’s winter, then.

Don't worry, Rick, the red thing will be down in a couple of days (unless they replace it with a blue one)

 

Don't worry about winter, we have Burns Night to look forward to on 25 January - that's less than three weeks away. And by then the days will be getting slightly noticeably longer.

 

Mal

Edited January 5, 2019 by Purley Oaks

[roundhouse]

Good afternoon from a wet San Francisco. First day if no sun and rain on this trip.

 

So sitting under cover of the Ferry building inFort Point brewery bar waiting for a break in the rain to catch the old teams to 21st Anendment Brewing where I have a request for T shirts to take back home.

Just managed to get a shot of a guy selling anti Trump parafanalia on the BART

Good afternoon from a wet San Francisco. First day if no sun and rain on this trip.

 

So sitting under cover of the Ferry building inFort Point brewery bar waiting for a break in the rain to catch the old teams to 21st Anendment Brewing where I have a request for T shirts to take back home.

Just managed to get a shot of a guy selling anti Trump parafanalia on the BART

Edited January 5, 2019 by roundhouse

[Gwiwer]

Thank you Mal

 

I belong to several Facebook groups one of which is for “anything” pertaining to the town in question.

 

In the past few days a post has appeared seeking the services of “a piper and a Scot willing to address a haggis”. Bit of a long shot in the far south-west of Cornwall but you never know. Burns Night suppers seem to be no longer confined to Scotland or the Scots.

 

In other news I have booked dinner for SWMBO and myself on the 19th February. Why is this newsworthy? It isn’t quite Valentine’s night but will have to do because of very limited availability at the venue. Which venue? The Member’s Dining Room, House of Commons. Open to Joe Public on just a couple of days of the year when the Houses are in recess and other business permits. It’s different if nothing else. And it’s one in the eye of Dragon-in-Law who tried pulling every string she thought she had to get inside the Palace of Wetministers. And failed.

 

Me? I completed an online booking form and got an official (https secured) confirmation within moments.

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.  Busy busy busy (SWMBO stuff) but I thought Polly might like this, and the Q.

 

A friend, crewing for one of his friends, on what is believed to be the oldest active sailing vessel on the island, Master Frank.  Off to test new trawling gear apparently.  Sorry about the top of the mast!

 

 

 

[pH]

Burns Night suppers seem to be no longer confined to Scotland or the Scots.

They're also evolving - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gung_Haggis_Fat_Choy

[AndrewC]

The Member’s Dining Room, House of Commons.

How many barrels of gunpowder will you be taking with you?

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Just been watching the history of the Cutty Sark on Channel 5, very interesting and some of it is very dark. Interesting fact, less than 5% of the original fabric of the vessel was lost in the fire. Here's a little question for you, what is or was a cutty sark? Mal likely as not knows the answer as there is a connection with events on the 25th.

[Coombe Barton]

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/01/05/sandys-chemo-day-18-of-126/

[pH]

Here's a little question for you, what is or was a cutty sark?

A short shift, as worn by one of the witches at Kirk Alloway in Burns's "Tam O'Shanter".

[AndyID]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Just been watching the history of the Cutty Sark on Channel 5, very interesting and some of it is very dark. Interesting fact, less than 5% of the original fabric of the vessel was lost in the fire. Here's a little question for you, what is or was a cutty sark? Mal likely as not knows the answer as there is a connection with events on the 25th.

 

Too easy I'm afraid. It's actually a bit nightie naughty.

[pH]

Too easy I'm afraid. It's actually a bit nightie naughty.

A wee bit nightie?

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone

 

Well as I’d suspected, the water was indeed down to the presence of condensation. The extractor fan is in the ceiling and goes straight up into the loft space, the pipework immediately bends 90 degrees, runs horizontally for about 2ft then another 90 degree bend and it then goes vertically up and through the roof via a flexible connector. Just after the second bend there was a connection with a small drain pipe that runs horizontally along the loft floor until it exits the loft near the gutter. However, the pipe run wasn’t exactly horizontal, so I raised the start of the pipework and weighed down the exit end in the hope that it will now drain properly. The fan was replaced as well, as it showed signs of water ingress onto the main circuit board and there were also signs of corrosion on the motor terminals. I also advised them to leave the fan ‘ON’ all the time and let it time itself off. As this will remove all the warm damp air from the bathroom and eventually drag cooler dry air in, which should hopefully alleviate the situation. All in all the job only took about 90 minutes, including a tea break, whilst p Mike went to get a new fan. So all in all, I was only out of the house for just over 2 hours and was back home well in time for dinner, albeit a little later than usual. Needless to say, once we’d had dinner and the following hot drinks, I didn’t see much point in going to the workshop, as by then it was almost 3pm.

 

So I did a bit more reading/research before tea, after which it was a bottle of red and catching up on some recorded TV.

 

Goodnight all

[AndyID]

Come to think of it the only prize I received in skuel was for reciting Burns poetry. I think it was "Tam O'Shanter". It was a bit of a doddle. Mum and dad lived in Ayrshire and I was already familiar with much of the vocabulary.

[PhilJ W]

A short shift, as worn by one of the witches at Kirk Alloway in Burns's "Tam O'Shanter".

 

 

Too easy I'm afraid. It's actually a bit nightie naughty.

 

 

A wee bit nightie?

Must all have been at the same pub quiz.

Edited January 6, 2019 by PhilJ W

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[lightengine]

Thank you Mal

I belong to several Facebook groups one of which is for “anything” pertaining to the town in question.

In the past few days a post has appeared seeking the services of “a piper and a Scot willing to address a haggis”. Bit of a long shot in the far south-west of Cornwall but you never know. Burns Night suppers seem to be no longer confined to Scotland or the Scots.

There is one around, busking. A cat strangler was performing (if thats the correct word) on the streets of Teignmouth a few weeks ago. Many found it a hideous noise to have outside their shops for several hours.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all