Early Risers.

[jamie92208]

Evening all from Wendover which I think us in Utah, as opposed to West Wendover which is just about all casinos, no douvt handy for the faithful to attend.  350 miles or thereabout which was enough for Beth's shoulder to stand.  Lots of heavy rain along the way.  I drove much of the same route in 2012 but found that a lot of the scenery looked new to me.  Some bits I did remember though.   

 

We finally passed the two trains as we left Elko via a back road that enabled me to see another 10 locos.

 

The hotel here is excellent but cheaper than last nights.  

 

pH, thanjs for the tip.  Unfortunately we couldn't make use of it as the final de ision on where to stop is often made at the last mi ute dependi g on how Beth's shoulder feels.  She's waiting for an op on it.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

11 minutes ago, pH said:

How are you with Kamloops, Kashechewan and Tuktoyaktuk?

I kept getting the emphasis wrong on Okanagan.

 

Ogopogo is easier to say.

 

In a similar vein, Spokane tricks up the uninformed. As a youngster in the land of Oz, I had no idea how to pronounce Seattle. 

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by Ozexpatriate

[pH]

2 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I kept getting the emphasis wrong on Okanagan.

 

You could stick with the American version, then:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okanogan_River

[pH]

7 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

In a similar vein, Spokane tricks up the uninformed.

 

You'd think they could adjust the spelling to reflect the pronunciation. Or was it once pronounced differently?

[BR60103]

I remember what my grade 8 teacher did to Craigellachie and Edinburgh. (Studying the CPR).

One of my railways is the Esquesing and Chinguacousy Radial Railway.

 

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

Last night Poorly Pal and I enjoyed a screening of “Brokeback Mountain” in Stevenage, well worth the effort entailed in driving to Stevenage twice in three days.  A local film society has been presenting what appeared to be a season of LGBT-related movies but apparently numbers have not been sufficient to continue.  We had our evening meal in the pub, again.  Life sure can be tough.

 

Pillock of the week must be the Anglian Windows door to door salesman who called on me the other day.  You would think, wouldn’t you, that someone trying to sell windows would at least look at those already there.  Not this clown!  If he did look he did not recognise the parentage of the windows that I have – Anglian, of course.  I took great pleasure in telling him to go.

 

I’m off to Bracknell in the morning for what we must now call ExpoEM Spring.  Many of those staying for the weekend gather in the ‘Spoons on Saturday evening for an attempt at revelry and merriment.  Well, we are talking about Bracknell, that showpiece of 1960s town planning.  Last year I had sorrows to drown but it’s best to draw a veil over that.  This year I won’t know whether there will be more sorrows to drown until after the weekend.  Before I set off for Bracknell I will message in an attempt to resolve the problem with the other half of the problematic relationship but to be honest I don’t rate my chances.

 

Back on Monday.  Best wishes to all

 

Chris

Edited May 17, 2019 by chrisf

[AndyID]

5 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

As is evident in your photographs. I have never had the pleasure of visiting Scotland, but I was given to believe the lower atmosphere there inevitably comprised significantly higher densities of water vapour than is evident in your photographs.

 

 

The weather in Scotland is often very good from the middle of May through June. July and August tend to be warmer but wetter. September can be very nice although it can be a bit cooler.

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

It is a rather damp morning today.  We have had rain overnight, and it is still raining on and off.  The forecast suggests that it will brighten up later - which I hope is the case because I need to cut our garden hedge.

 

11 minutes ago, AndyID said:

July and August tend to be warmer but wetter.

 

Beware the midges!

 

Have a good day everyone...

[Barry O]

Good morning all!

A drop (or several)of rain has fallen overnight here. Scheduled to rain tomorrow morning when I am supposed to be umpiring. Pah!

 

Rick I have tried all roads up to shake off my lurgi. Still coughing..a bit like the lurgi Chris had.

 

Place names... how do you pronounce Tantobie? Or Louth? The best one I heard came from an American visitor...Loogerberoogar.

 

Enjoy whatever you do today and hope all who ail show improvement in their health.

Baz

[BlackRat]

Chris... any friendship that you have to chase, isn't worth chasing.

 

Thoughts to all and.....Have a great weekend everyone.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner temple Hare,

5 hours sleep and 2 dozing on the sofa... still knackered though.

 

Nice to See my teenage years again as posted by Gwiwr, as we used to pass Port an t-Sròim on the way to School. Stromeferry being the original destination of the far west line before the Kyle Extension. Most of the other teenagers in the school group would have pronounced the station in the Gaidhlig, as they came from An t-Eilean Sgitheanach and Na h-Eileanan Siar.

 The above island names take us neatly into pronounciation, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach being the Island of Skye, and Na h-Eileanan Siar being the outer hebridies. True english translation of Na h-Eileanan Siar being the island of the strangers, so if the Gaidhlig speakers thought the islands were inhabited by strangers, who the strangers..?

 

We must have had a small rainstorm last night as there were puddles on the way in, that journey was enlivened by two lorry vacuum cleaners flying in close slow formation hoovering up the masses of loose gravel. It made it very difficult to get past them.

 

Just waiting for the first of next weeks major systems, I've negociated it a day early but have to wait for the unit on it to finish.

 

Time to Wait some more...

Oh who were the  Strangers?, well the Hebridies were under the control of the norse  vikings until the treaty of Perth in 1266

[AndrewC]

6 hours ago, pH said:

 

You'd think they could adjust the spelling to reflect the pronunciation. Or was it once pronounced differently?

I seem to remember a story about the incorporation of Spokane and that the trailing 'e' wasn't supposed to be there. Spokan would have been the correct spelling. Some how Spokane ended up on the incorporation documents. Oops. 

 

As for Tuktoyuktuk. Been there, done that, got the university tee shirt. Tuk-U. (there is no university there actually but the shirt was popular)

 

Last day of work for 2 weeks. Looking forward to the break. Enjoy the day. 

[Dave Hunt]

And on the subject of pronunciation, let's not forget Ireland where Dunloaghair becomes Dunleery or places in the U.K. Such as Leominster being Limster, Scarisbrick being Scaysbrick or the place near Crewe spelled Wybunbury that locals call Winbry (among other things). 

 

Off to to catch the train to Lunnon for the gathering in Chancery Lane. Hope a few of the remaining brain cells survive.

 

Good morning All; have a good day.

 

Dave

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, from and Island that boasts Bareegaroo (B'garrow) as a place name.

 

Dry but not sunny so out on the bike to the club then try to see if my replacement BP drugs are in - better be or it's curtains for me. Or at least some horrid quick replacement - a spell on beta-blockers in the past was horrendous, turned my life down to 1.

 

More later from a world dreaming of 120/80.

[BoD]

Morning all.

 

Today’s jaunt takes me down the Esk Valley line from Middlesbrough to Whitby with a stop off at Grosmont for the North York Moors Railway.

The Esk Valley line is another lovely scenic run but not as well known as some others.

[Kingzance]

‘Tis Rick’s birthday today I believe. If this is correct, happy birthday sir! 

Barbecue never knowingly undersold to me, brought home (via a G-centre), assembled but yet to be tested as I was diverted to many hours of grandchild sitting duties. Sadly the barbecue is a more conventional gas style rather than the Kamado after which I lusted. Lusted, a sumptuous word the meaning of which certainly changes as my years progress . Rain outside isn’t stopping today’s performance of “the dance of the mechanical tracked shovels”, but surely their efforts must be close to conclusion? By the way, don’t call me Shirley!

It would seem that Mrs KZ and I are destined not to boost Thomas Cook’s fiscal status anytime soon as SWMBO is arranging a trip with her widowed sister and a couple we know to the Channel Islands - well at least the nearest one to us - in July. I don’t know if I can keep up the pretence of happiness as, in true Enid Blyton vein, Five go Wild in Caulkheadland, but I will try. When, I wonder, will I get an uninterrupted run at railway modelling? Listening to the CEO of Thomas Cook yesterday, I would be less than likely to make a new booking with them. I suppose the ABTA bonding scheme and credit card providers will protect travellers if it does fail.

Over the next few days, I should be involved in getting an erection, nothing to do with blue pills or other stimulants but daughter has bought a mega gazebo so, as a former Meccano modeller, my services as an erector will “be useful”. I am certain that will provide more satisfaction than listening to the latest political jockeying. At least we won’t have another election after next week for at least (insert number of days according to your views here).

Grass (not the one contains happiness inducing compounds) is growing as I watch, more estate lawn care may be required later today.

And something positive to conclude my outpouring of self pity? Eight days to RailEx! Hurrah.

 

[45156]

Morning All

 

Sorry, but events have overtaken promises to keep in touch here a bit more often - it has been quite busy here with various things happening, and every time I got to the point of posting, something has come up - however all posts have been read and rated, and generic greetings are on offer to the ailing, celebrating.   Happy birthday Rick, and I hope your missus is still progressing.

 

Fangmeister seems to think that the tooth can be repaired (again) but this will be the last time. and after that it is either a quite expensive crown or a much less expensive extraction - I've already decided on which it will be.

 

Awaiting builder who is coming to paint the gable end wall, as I can't reach the upper parts any more, and I don't feel confident on a ladder. 

 

Back tomorrow (?)

Regards to All

Stewart

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Rather a dull start here and some showers are forecast.

Managed to get the big board erected yesterday but not without turning the air blue. It's not quite big enough for its new new location so will have to have a small addition on one end. The track will definitely all have to come off, that could be fun. I may be able to use two of the other boards but the fourth will be scrapped.

Got another quote for the garden yesterday and the third has been promised for today.

More stuff needs to be put in the shed and some furniture moved ready for window replacement next week.

Have a good one,

I.L.L. Shiftit.

 

P.S. Happy Birthday (Again) Rick!

 

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by grandadbob

[Kingzance]

14 minutes ago, 45156 said:

Fangmeister seems to think that the tooth can be repaired (again) but this will be the last time. and after that it is either a quite expensive crown or a much less expensive extraction - I've already decided on which it will be.

 

 as I can't reach the upper parts any more, and I don't feel confident on a ladder. 

Weighing up the options of crowns v investment in our hobby, I'd go with the latter Stewart. You can always liquidise food . 
I have never been that comfortable working off ladders so I bought a lightweight zip-up style aluminium tower a few years back to aid the hedge trimming in our last place. When moving, NO leylandii was part of the search criteria and SiL has the tower now for his (much larger) hedge and between us we can do his in a weekend (although various old joints and muscles are known to complain loudly after that weekend).

[45156]

6 minutes ago, Kingzance said:

Weighing up the options of crowns v investment in our hobby, I'd go with the latter Stewart. You can always liquidise food . 
I have never been that comfortable working off ladders so I bought a lightweight zip-up style aluminium tower a few years back to aid the hedge trimming in our last place.

Couldn't agree more - the crown that was being discussed was a private job as NHS nowadays only gives quite limited options with regard to the more complex dental treatments, and would cost me around £750 - £1000 - not worth it as I have all my upper teeth apart from one, so I can afford to lose this one if it can't be saved, and the cost is around £60 on NHS to have it removed - makes more financial sense.

 

As to the ladder issue, I too have problems with high(ish) hedges and trees, and I plan to get one of these - my friend in Herefordshire has one, and I climbed it and felt totally secure at a height of about 8 feet - it will be £350 well spent, and I can, of course, fund that from the "saving" in hot having the errant tooth crowned.

https://www.henchman.co.uk/products/platform-tripod-ladders.html

 

Now then, a couple of things that I meant to mention as part of my excuse for not visting include

Having my tooth looked at after a session at LASAR doing whatever.

Getting the car MOT and service - amazing value from my garage - not a main dealer, and a minor service and MOT only costs £74.99 - in this day and age that is incredible when a main dealer is charging  over £200 for the same.

A meeting with my Building Society  about my mortgage, and the best long term options.

A meeting at the bank to discuss life insurance, related to the above.

 

And now I've heard from my builder that he's not going to arrive until about 10.30.  He's always been a bit hit and miss on his timings .  He works for English Heritage in London and Sussex, and I hope that he is not so lax in his timings with them - I suspect not, but when he's back up North, he does have a lot of work to arrange, and of course, not every job works out quite as expected. 

 

[laurenceb]

Birthday greetings Rick

Mornin awl 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Happy birthday Rick (yet again, GDB was misleading me). Slightly delayed this morning as the internet went AWOL for about ten minutes just after nine. Muggatee to be drunk, be back later.

[Simon G]

Happy birthday, Rick.

 

Todays gardening has been delayed by rain.  It will hopefully clear later to allow more planting of seeds.  The rain is most welcome for all the seeds that I planted yesterday, so I am not complaining!

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It is overcast and cooler here. 

It would seem that Benfleet is cut off from the rest of Essex this morning. A collision between a motor cycle and van at the Sadlers Farm roundabout is still causing congestion for miles around. Aditi is supposed to be going to Brentwood but may have to cancel her hairdressing appointment. 

I can’t think of too many places locally that are pronounced very differently to their spelling. Nearer London I suppose Feydun Boys is though. 

Tony 

Edited May 17, 2019 by Tony_S
Repetition

[Tony_S]

Happy Birthday Rick.