Early Risers.

[Ozexpatriate]

14 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

How many handbags?

I recently completed a will. It is focused on the necessary financial details.  I am glad to have finally 'ticked this box' and not have to worry about not having one that is up to date.

 

With two exceptions, it does not cover how to dispose of my personal effects.  I have a small mountain of still boxed model railway items for both North American and British prototypes. I had started to go down that path with the attorney / solicitor, who advised me not to add burdensome and complicated instructions in the will.

 

Then there are the shoes. In part due to changing feet (some discomfort at the large phalange/metatasal joint, possibly some diabetic consequences*) I keep experimenting with shoes, and now seem to have more shoes than any male should own. Trying shoes on is now an inadequate test. I often now find shoes uncomfortable, but only after wearing them for three or more hours. I'm sure that there is some component of retail therapy there as well.

 

* And gout which is under control

 

While hopefully my demise is not imminent, I feel a need to compile guidelines for my son to help him, should he have to deal with all my crap , stuff. belongings. Either that or get rid of it all, which I find difficult. The shoes are actually easy. They can simply be donated as most of them are in very good condition.

 

The model railway stuff is more complicated. I'm happy for him to simply donate the North American stuff to a local railway charity. They will have an appreciation for the perceived value and can decide how to dispose of it. Living in the US, the British stuff is more complicated to dispose of - most of the people who would value it do not live on this continent. I'm not quite sure how to advise him with that.

 

Having said all that, I think my son and daughter in law would be quite surprised with the shoe tally, should they have to deal with that.

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.  Busy.

 

Best to get the lung checked Tony, New Moan-ia is no fun at all.  Caught in time hopefully.

 

Loved the shots of John and Debs (and Kerry of course) - and that it helped.

 

That Alco PA if done in New Haven McGinnis livery would tempt a return to matters American!  I do have some Proto 2000 ones though, just not the space to do them justice.

[tigerburnie]

Evening all, I think I will have census on handbags in our abode and see if I can match it with locomotives, but have just been informed I have more fishing rods than she has bags...……………………….she's probably right lol.

Had an hour or three with the heater on in the old summer house doing some muddling, things are progressing nicely, I keep prevaricating, but I shall soon be at the point where I shall have to start weathering, never done any before, so I may try a wagon or three first along with the tracks.

G'night all

[Northroader]

1 hour ago, J. S. Bach said:

I forgot to ask; what drive is in it?

It’s using a motor, end plates stamped CLW, then universal shaft to belt drive to one end, then back underneath to the other end. DCC, what’s that?? (Sorry to intrude on the social chat)

 

[Gwiwer]

G'night all

[Barry O]

Eveni g to most.

 

Weekend plus flu jab taking there toll...

 

Goodnight all

Baz

[Tony_S]

29 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Best to get the lung checked Tony, New Moan-ia is no fun at all.  Caught in time hopefully.

I had an unpleasant pneumonia a couple of years ago. This x ray was in response to my realisation that I couldn’t keep blaming the pneumonia for how I feel at the moment. This lung fluid observed on the x ray is probably to do with  heart circulation problems. I will be getting checked out, I await an appointment. 
Tony

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. When I went into Tesco's today the Royal British Legion had there table there for remembrance day. As well as the usual poppies and lapel badges they had a box of crocheted poppies. The RBL ladies had spent the last few months crocheting these poppies. Each and every one was different varying slightly in size, shape and colour. 

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

On our smart meter display unit there is a button that allows the display to show electricity or gas or both. We usually have it showing both. 
Tony

Mine is the same only it only ever shows the electricity. The meter certainly wasn't working when it was installed 6 months ago but now working. The next quarters bill is due very soon so I will have to check that. 

[Simon G]

4 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Sadly the person trapped in the chimney has died before he could be rescued. He's now a candidate for a Dawin award.

 

Yes, I heard about the chimney man shortly after I posted about it.  I now rather regret my original post on the topic.

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, pH said:

 

Way to make me feel old! Your dad was on the buses 55 years ago - I was on the buses 53 years ago!

 

That was the use of the Setright I was referring to. They were supposed to be worn to the front at waist level. We wore them on a long strap over the right shoulder, bouncing off the left thigh. If necessary, you could grasp the strap at about waist level and swing the machine. I can't find a picture of a Setright being worn this way, but here's one showing a conductress with her cash bag on her right knee - the machine would be at the same level on her left. https://www.flickr.com/photos/guy_arab_uf/5419846404

 

One night, one of our conductresses was subject to "inappropriate touching". After a warning, which he ignored, she hit the guy once with the machine to stop him, then gave him a couple more on his way to the floor. They diverted past the Royal Infirmary, dropped the guy off and kept on going. Tough ladies, those conductresses!

This year on the 18th of November will have been my dads 100th birthday. The clippie involved in the incident was not prosecuted as it was in self defence. As you said, tough ladies.

[monkeysarefun]

On 27/10/2019 at 07:39, Ozexpatriate said:

Understandably. But do you miss the Floridians?

 

Florida (and Floridians) is the epicenter of "man bites dog"-type news reports.

 

 

 

 

Discover your inner Florida man - google "Florida Man"  and the day and month of your birthday......

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening 

 

Another busy day, but most of the morning was spent outside. I gave the front door frame and the fan light, which was particularly mucky. This of course meant that by the time I'd done that, the fro t door itself needed cleaning. But the end result is it allooks a lot better now, I was also able to bank a few more brownie points too! As I was packing up I noticed that the frost cover on the outside tap by the front door was hanging off, a closer inspection revealed that the spring in the toggle was broken. So that was taken off and a quick rummage in my box of springs, I found a suitable replacement and fitted it back on the tap. 

 

After dinner I spent the rest of the afternoon in the cellar, moving files and magazines from the bookcase. 

 

Goodnight all 

[AndyID]

After more than a few false starts I was finally having some success making my cheapo Woodpecker CNC milling machine cut brass tender frames. (I suspect FR4 is a much better option, but what the heck.) Things were going swimmingly for once and it was just about to complete the first frame when KABOOM - the lights went out.

 

It started snowing this afternoon and the temperature suddenly dropped below freezing. The forecast says it will be about 18F tonight. The wind also picked up a lot and a tree or a bit of a tree probably messed up a transmission line. A large area was affected. The power was only out for a couple of hours but it was a good reminder that I better drag the generator out and service it.

 

But it's not cold in my shed. There's a cheery fire burning in the stove and I have a lot of wood.

[AndyID]

it's not obvious my knee will be up to it but I'm going to try skiing again this Winter. The local hills discount season passes if you buy them before the end of October. The Senior (62+) Pass at Lookout costs $189 but I qualify for the Super Senior (70+) Pass at $155. You can spend about as much for a one day pass at some of the places in Colorado. I'm giving it a shot.

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

The temperature has dropped significantly in the past couple of days.  This morning we have fog and a temperature of around 5°C.

 

Have a good day everyone...

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

The forgettery reigned supreme again yesterday when I forgot the bread on the fodder run.  Oh well, it’s only a four mile round trip to go back for it.  I shall save a few miles and find a few more hours’ kip on Friday night after the concert and before Wycrail.  There must, I reasoned, be a Travelodge near St Albans, and so there is, at Hemel Hempstead.  I secured a sensibly priced room and will worry about finding breakfast on Saturday morning.  If memory serves, there is a supermarket not too far from the venue, and if I’m REALLY lucky I might get a slab of bread pudding at the show.  Last year, as I recall, Mike Stationmaster and I made fairly short work of what there was.

 

I watched one of the Traction DVDs yesterday afternoon.  It was the one that arrived in February, promptly disappeared and only came to light in the so far fruitless search for those so-and-so etches.  The remote appears to have fallen out with the DVD player.  Rather than do something precipitate like replacing them, I resorted to the DVD drive on the laptop.  This decided to tell me that it had stopped working, which is something that I was able to work out for myself!  I tried a different DVD, which worked perfectly.  I then tried the Traction one, which also worked perfectly.  Why do I hate technology?

 

The Christmas message is almost finished but may get some tweaks when I read it through one more time.  Then it’s off to the copy bureau at the end of the road.  The next job will be to print the address labels, in the sure and certain knowledge that someone will have moved since last year and has not told me.  That makes the whole exercise sound like a chore and perhaps it is but I do like staying in touch with people from my past, even if only once a year.   Staying in touch with certain people from my present can be infernally difficult but that’s another story and not one for sensitive ears!

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Yes Robert, we are also feeling a major reduction in temperature ...very autumnal.

 

We should be receiving a visit from our joiner today. He will be fitting a new door frame and door to replace the 100 year old side door in the garage, plus some running repairs to the up and over garage door frame.

 

I have some work to do on the new layout then ...

 

Heaven knows.

 

Positive thoughts to all who ail!

Grab the day and Happy Anniversary Dudders and Ashers.

Baz

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, AndyID said:

it's not obvious my knee will be up to it but I'm going to try skiing again this Winter. ...  I'm giving it a shot.

Good luck and have fun.  I think it's only with actors that they say "break a leg" to wish someone well.  And don't forget your knee brace.

 

Still sunny and dry here but now cold at night. The east wind* is bringing freezing temperatures.

 

* "It will be cold and bitter, Watson, and a good many of us may wither before its blast." 

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare, 1497/935

4 hours, long gap 1 hour not enough sleep...

 

The Antiques road trip last night went to Kinneil house, which is collie walking distance from my parents house, the now forested grounds behind are very popular with the woofs, later a tiny piece onf the Bo'ness and Kinneil railway.

 

Ben the "I like the time shift" Collie went on patrol this morning ... it was chilly out there, but there was no frost on the way in..

So a parcel Farce driver has one less excuse for parking his lorry in the middle of the NDR / Coltishall road Roundabout...

Blue lights, tow truck and some routes closed off, when I went through.

 

Microsoft have a free app... it puts your calander days until  and working days until retirement up on your screen

 

One of the sailing forums I go on is very American, it has a very long running thread called Floriduh Man, it makes Homer Simpson seem intelligent.

 

Time to.... see if I can get another piece of test equipment back I need to run 100A

Edited October 29, 2019 by TheQ

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Dull and 7°C here. It may brighten up later. *

I will be heading to The Shed this morning where yet again I will attempt to lay more track. I'm not feeling very optimistic about the outcome.

There is of course the usual chance of me managing to self harm.

Won't be going to Wycrail this year which is a shame because it's a good show but I have an important date with a large TV screen on Saturday morning.

Have a good one,

B. UrnsRus.

 

* Later has already arrived and it is now brighter.

Edited October 29, 2019 by grandadbob

[Kingzance]

Good morning from a decidedly cool NEHerts,

 

There is frost around but not as heavy as yesterday’s. Delivery of replacement lights for daughter’s house is on the cards today, as is walking to see Ian’s Plaice (our mobile wet-fish man) with a later stroll to the pub for cribbage. Some vegetable soup will be crafted from pulses that I started soaking yesterday and this will, I hope, last a few days. Certainly if I put enough chilli powder in it, SWMBO will be deterred!
 

Noting those who may attempt to ski this season, I am told that we are going to St Anton with SWMBO’s sister, her eldest son, his wife and their little son. It is a few years since I last skied but it is like riding a bike. Whether my knees will continue to perform is one part of my problem, the other is whether the ticker will hold out but hey ho, sister-in-law is a nurse even if no others in the the party speak much German.

 

A bit of a clear out in the muddling area yesterday that included an extended time on my knees means that I need to make some new adjustable support legs to maintain the gradients at a steady rate. Hopefully this will be the last such adjustment as everything has pretty much settled and scenic work will subsequently be possible (and the knees can recover). I also discovered/recovered several multi-wheeled vehicles with windows in their roofs in which tiny replicas of people could be placed to travel along some parallel lengths of nickel silver. These will need repainting and have their original Tri-ang bogies which will need to be fitted with Bachmann 9’ versions to run better on low profile nickel silver - something to do during forthcoming evenings (was that obscure enough to avoid the wrath?).

 

Be careful, be good, be happy and, if ailing, I wish you well.

[81C]

9 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

Good morning all,

Dull and 7°C here. It may brighten up later.

Wot he said. 

[tigerburnie]

Morning, no frost here this morning, bright and breezy, so intend to go out somewhere and enjoy the day, we had a nice walk down to the beach yesterday(round trip of about 3 miles), might even do that again. Have a fine day all.

[45156]

Morning All

 

Pleased to see that no PMs have been received, which I take to mean that nothing signficant has happened in my absence - so I will just offer my usual generic greetings to the ailing and the celebrating.

 

Had to de-ice the car yesterday and again this morning.  And 30747 has this morning announced that she is working tomorrow, which probably means that I will be repeating the exercise again at 6.45.  Today is jobs domestic, checking the credit card for untoward transactions, freshening the grout in the bathroom, then painting the bathroom ceiling - also need to write something for tomorrows writing group, and Fridays creative writing class.

 

Back tomorrow (?)

Regards to All

Stewart