Early Risers.

[Joseph_Pestell]

18 minutes ago, AndrewC said:

Partially cancelled out by the reported 40%+ increase in domestic abuse. Much of which requires the emergency services and A&E. The drunks are at home taking it out on their partners instead of starting fights outside the local 'spoons. 

 

Which is very sad even if one can understand that relationships that were already in difficulties are going to be further strained in these horrid times.

 

I did not appreciate the intervention of the Govt minister for safeguarding this morning on the BBC. Everytime that she referred to perpetrators of domestic violence, she used the male pronoun. Some of us know that domestic violence is also committed by the female gender.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Grey sky and gentle rain here at the moment. I suspect we won’t be sitting outside today. 
I forgot to press send a few hours ago but nothing has changed.

 

Many years ago in schools, typing instructors who were  transitioning to become IT teachers got very upset about proportional fonts. They all predicted the world would end and computers were a fad soon to die out in commerce. 
 

When Aditi wrote her doctoral submission she turned off all spelling/style/grammar support except for the formatting of references. This was after too many comments from Word about long sentences.
Tony

 

 

 

[southern42]

' morning all.

 

RMweb minute silence: NHS and care workers who have lost their lives.  May they rest in peace and comfort come to those who mourn.

 

Mother Nature has kindly watered the grass seed and plants and everything else, besides. That is one job I will not have to do this afternoon.  It is drying up so it looks like I may get my bike ride on the spot outside after all.  Sorry knees if you thought you were getting the day off!

 

Plans for today: fitting foam into the fife case and thinking about fitting some 4mm brassy lamp irons.

 

Take care, be safe, and saveasmuchspaceasyoucan. 

 

BUT      NOT      WHERE      SOCIAL      DISTANCING       IS       CONCERNED      .

_________

Best wishes

Polly

 

Edited April 28, 2020 by southern42

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Didn't do much in the garden yesterday as the ground was rock hard so the rain today is welcome though it will take a lot more than one days rain to penetrate the Essex clay I fear. At the moment it is bucketing down, hopefully it will ease off later as I need to do some shopping though there might not be any queues.

6 hours ago, polybear said:

Anyone else can't sleep too?

Turdycurses.

Now what can I do that's noisy, just to p1ss off the neighbours?  Lawn cutting is out - it's been raining all night.  Already pressure washed the drive and car.  I feel a leccy drill time coming on....

Play the 'Ride of the Valkaries' at full volume at 3 am.

 

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

I steadfastly refused to inflict myself on others via Faceburk.

 

Instead, I prefer to send them the occasional PM via RMWeb.

 

Nothing gives me greater pleasure that the thought of the horror that causes, when some unfortunate soul finds they have a message from me in their inbox.

We cant block you on RMweb.

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

Withallthischataboutdoublespacesattheendofsentences,Ihavedecidednottobothertousesspacesanymore,evenafterpunctuation.Lookathowmuchspaceitsaves.

Do you normally speak like that?

[Sir TophamHatt]

HALLLOOOOO!

I'm glad of the rain but sad it won't be sunny like the other year.  I'm sure we had rain for a day, then blazing sun, then rain, then sun - the garden went bananas!

 

However, secretly excited - it's the final countdown for old job - 26 out of 30 days to go.

New job = more monies = more models.
Until I found out that child care could be as much as £500 a month.
New job = more monies = less models

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

It raineth - off and on but mostly on.  One of the under unit lights in the kitchen failed last night with no spare in stock (a small diameter 838mm fluorescent tube).  regrettably our previous excellent lighting supplier has gone into liquidation )pre the current situation) but the business has been taken over by a former member of staff and Mrs Stationmaster has been despatched in the capable hands of the Good Doctor to try to obtain a suitable replacement because on the 'phone the new owner seemed not to know exactly what he has in stock - business will be conducted at the doorway I understand.  Net result might be the need to install a new light fitting - working upside down with head resting on the kitchen worktop - it could be fun (not).

 

Bod makes some very good points regarding the use of screen names.  The only places on the 'net where I can be found under my own name are on Linked In and the NHS/Doctior's surgery) (where noms-de-'net would be rather a silly idea of course).  Elsewhere I use several different names and different passwords for each of them.  My main reason for doing this has been 'professional' in that I was hardly going to get involved in hobby discussions about railway signalling (and other matters) on the 'net when I was earning an occasional smidgeon of crust working for a signal engineering company and offering paid advice/carrying out work on operational or safety matters for a railway or large industrial concern.  I became 'The Stationmaster' on here for the very simple reason that, although archaic, it's railway job title most folk recognise and it really does sort of reflect one of the jobs I did during my railway career (Area Manager).  So there I am and with various s/ns now long established I doubt I'll be doing anything to change

 

Similarly with Farcebook where the only reason I joined was because AY kept us informed via that medium when RMweb was down and would be taking a while to resurface.  But of course some others knew I was there - stupid s/n and daft personal info apart - and gradually latched onto my presence and asked to befriend me.  Clearly my disguise is nowhere near as good as i thought it was but I do get some info about people's doings via that medium so it isn't all bad.  

 

Now to sort the recycling, deal with the post, and prepare the teapot for its next use once the management returns.

 

Have a good day one and all and stay safe (and dry if you can)

Edited April 28, 2020 by The Stationmaster

[Coombe Barton]

Knock on the door. The only thing I've ordered has been books from the partial thunderstorm down south, so the surprise was a beer, cheese and cracker hamper from son and daughter in law, to cheer me up.

Edited April 28, 2020 by Coombe Barton

[AndrewC]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

 

We cant block you on RMweb.

Oh yes you can. You can ignore users and they won’t show up in private messaging. I have a small list of c*ntpuffins that I have set to ignore over the years. A certain abrasive Telford Gnome and a mr hale come to mind. 

[Happy Hippo]

24 minutes ago, AndrewC said:

A certain abrasive Telford Gnome

But I'm so cute!

 

[AndrewC]

1 minute ago, Happy Hippo said:

But I'm so cute!

 

 

You also aren’t anything like a gnome. The **** I’m referring to someone who thankfully vanished from the forum and mailing lists years ago. If you didn’t own the same dcc gear as him, or modelled exactly the way he said to, he’d go off on a rumplestiltskin epic tirade. He is not missed. 

 

I can happily say, I’ve never had need to mute or ignore anyone in ERs. All good people. (And hippos)

[petethemole]

"You also aren’t anything like a gnome. The **** I’m referring to someone who thankfully vanished from the forum and mailing lists years ago. If you didn’t own the same dcc gear as him, or modelled exactly the way he said to, he’d go off on a rumplestiltskin epic tirade. He is not missed. "

 

Funnily enough, it was finding his blog on the net that led me to RMweb, at about the time he got banned. I could see why....

 

In other news, it's raining here as well. I never got around to mowing the back grass, which is now quite long. It'll have to wait a few days. I expect that, like most recent years, it will become a small meadow. Perhaps I should get a sheep. Garden waste collection has resumed here, so the bin, which has already been tamped down and is quite heavy, will be emptied tomorrow. 

 

Lunch beckons, if I can get round Mrs mole, who is practising fiddle tunes in the kitchen. A trip to the post office to post recent sales is also required; I will have to get some shopping while out.

 

Stay safe and elfy.

 

Pete

[Kingzance]

Well Pete, if you are going to get a sheep a little preparatory work is required. First you must plant lots of garlic bulbs, plenty of mint and surround you garden with rosemary bushes. That way you cut down on the mowing and the animal is pre-flavoured for when you decide to have a roast dinner. I'm just off to put down some horseradish and mustard for the cows arriving next week.....

[petethemole]

I've already got loads of rosemary, trouble is, it's at the front, which is unfenced.

[newbryford]

8 hours ago, polybear said:

Anyone else can't sleep too?

Turdycurses.

Now what can I do that's noisy, just to p1ss off the neighbours?  Lawn cutting is out - it's been raining all night.  Already pressure washed the drive and car.  I feel a leccy drill time coming on....

 

Make sure it's on the hammer setting for full effect.

[newbryford]

5 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

I steadfastly refused to inflict myself on others via Faceburk.

 

Instead, I prefer to send them the occasional PM via RMWeb.

 

Nothing gives me greater pleasure that the thought of the horror that causes, when some unfortunate soul finds they have a message from me in their inbox.

 

 I don't get a PM.

I just get a public warning on here......

 

[81C]

Afternoon All

P!ssytating down here

it's the first day of not sneezing and spraying all that stands in my way everything in the flat that's not been painted requires sugar soaping anyway.

Waiting for filler to set the damp air is not helping I might finally get the base coat done today in the kitchen it's taken for ever to get to a point where 

paint actually sticks to the walls once done the top colour coat will go on with ease.

That Samsung thing I bought the other day is behaving itself it's probably the worst mobilly phone I've ever purchased had the shop been open I would have taken it back

and got something else..

My Babe woke me up early to say she loved me I welcomed the new but not the time she had a Covid 19 test done on Sunday and is free of the nasty virus

she's gone into Essex Ladette mode she is very funny we laugh and joke everyday on the video link  . 

                                                    Better get on STAY SAFE Barry Bucknell 

 

   

[Tony_S]

48 minutes ago, petethemole said:

I've already got loads of rosemary, trouble is, it's at the front, which is unfenced.

Our rosemary shrub was covered in bees yesterday. I suspect they are not visiting today. I am certainly not going out to check.
The May-blossom is out even on the north facing side of the tree. It is in a neighbour’s garden but hangs over a corner of ours. 

[45156]

Afternoon All

I was going great guns yesterday, I really was, when I refreshed the page, and got a 522 error - time and time again, so I couldn't get caught up, and couldn't post here - so I shut down the laptop and went downstairs to watch some recorded TV - the revived version of Van der Valk was a bit hit and miss, and I honestly think that it might have been better to leave it back in the 1970s.

 

So with that in mind, I have not managed to read and rate every post, in fact, I've missed a few pages to keep up, so it has to be generic greetings.

 

I doubt that the observant among us will notice, but I still leave a space after a comma, and a double space after a full stop,  It is how I was taught, and it is how I will continue - I'm too set in my ways now to change.

 

To revive a topic from yesterday, I have never smoked, even while at University, where much strange weed was smoked in all the common rooms, TV room, and just wbout anywhere else.  My dad was a 30 a day man, and was a teacher - he often went out of the room between lessons for a fag, and had two in the break, and as he was a music teacher, he was also able to do musical appreciation, where he would stick a classical piece on the record player, and nip out for a quick drag during the lesson.  He also was a keyboard player in various clubs, where he was able to smoke to his heart's content, as did many of the habitues of the venues which he played in.  As a non smoker, when I was playing in his band, I used to come home from the gig with all my clothes and my hair stinking of tobacco smoke.

 

Well what have I done today - think carpets, shampooer, shampoo, and you'll get the idea.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Like Tony's rosemary my california lilac is swarming with bees this time of year but not today, Too cold and wet for them at the mo. Muggatee waiting so I'll be back later.

Edited April 28, 2020 by PhilJ W
spill chucker

[tigerburnie]

Yahooo………………….it's like Christmas day...………….a nice lad from Dundee(seems there are one or two lol) has brought the Tescos delivery, first stuff we've had for a month, to say we were scraping the bottom of the barrel didn't even come close, we have choices of what to eat lol.

[TheQ]

Afternoon awl, 

It was dry during Ben's morning Patrol,  but by the time I went to the garage it was drizzling, 

More lead was cut and installed in the keel. 

Decided the failing shed can be emptied later. 

 

Then to the MhRC , still drizzling.. 

Much planning not a lot of work. 

 

Took Ben the I don't care if it's raining Collie on his long walk but he didn't get a far as he wanted, I do care about getting wet.

 

After drying out and a sarnie, 

back to the MhRC, 

trying to glue steel mesh to brass wires. 

Then trying to build the foundations for the HF 200. To get it level I used the simple process of digging the hole deeper than needed and filling with liquid filler. 

 

I shall return there later and remove the clothes pegs holding the fence together.. 

 

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

8 minutes ago, TheQ said:

I shall return there later and remove the clothes pegs holding the fence together.

No wonder it gets blown over when the wind blows!

[PhilJ W]

Just been announced that the post office is to temporarily cease Saturday deliveries.

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon all,

 

First the good news - more scones have been made (by the management) and, the even better news most have been consumed with Rodda's best and some excellent strawberry jam of some sort Bonne Maman or something like that I believe).

 

Now the mixed news - the management's visit to the electrical concern in Reading was doubly successful and the precaution of taking the blown tube from the under cupboard light produced, unfortunately, the relevant LED equivalent replacement fitting.  The unfortunate bit being that as it has to be a replacement fitting that means unfitting the old fitting and the fitting the new fitting -  all done while working upside down in the relatively narrow space between the worktop and the cupboards above the worktop,   I therefore took the immediate step of instructing that all the newly arrived packages were to be placed in quarantine although I didn't bother to take the new fitting out to the quarantine centre in the garage room but have kept it indoors so I don't get wet twice.  

 

24 hours is supposed to be sufficient quarantine time for cardboard so it looks like F day for fitting the new fitting will be tomorrow, after first unfitting the existing fitting.   It had better bl**dy well fit is all I can say.

[Ian Abel]

Chewsday, oh well.

 

Jemma and Brendan managed to install the pump at the cabin yesterday, with fair success. Given our weather/winters here, there's usually one casualty when the water is turned back on. This year it was the toilet valve. Plastic parts tend to get brittle and crack in the harsh winter cold, and this was the year it decided it was the turn of the toilet. No worries really, just shut that off and everything else is OK.

Job for the future once we start using the place regularly. 

 

We had a Cabaret committee Zoom meeting last evening, our fund-raiser Cabaret isn't until October but we're not sure it will go ahead "as usual", so we're investigating the possibility of an online/virtual event. Creativity is the key...

 

Buqqer all else happening on the home front, grocery delivery and all as requested.

 

Today, first thing, more panicking from the client as they are trying to deploy three months worth of reports (first quarter) and found several "i's" and "t's" that weren't dotted and crossed they way they wanted them. Flurry of activity to help/correct/change/fix and for now all better

 

Pishing it down here today 9 and expected to get to 12 with possibility of thunderstorms later.

 

Carry on - or not, if you've already carried on enough