Early Risers.

[J. S. Bach]

An early one tonight so Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[The Stationmaster]

Apologies ni ot fully caught up and time is going on.  In summary - 

 

My car flat battery. again, so need to call Homestart (my own fault as I've not run it up lately and the temperature outdoors is well down of course.

No problem for herself shopping at Tesco although some stuff was a bit short.  However toilet rolls were reduced so she bough 2 x 16 packs for a worthwhile saving. 

Saw one member of Tesco staff sitting outside looking distinctly hot and bothered on a cold day - maybe it will be a place to avoid before long? 

The GD had one body to lay out today - not a patient she knew at all so it wasn't so bad she said.  Very sensibly they get the deceased into body bags and seal them up pdq.  So much for average ages etc - this chap was 68.

See (or is that sea?) Pie for dinner tonight and baked beans - gale warning hoisted.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[simontaylor484]

4 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Can’t sleep and I’ve still got my Waterstones voucher to spend so looking for something to spend it on.

This looks like a topper, has anyone read it? It may be of interest to those who find sleep not easy to come by. 
It 

I did get a pair of moquette socks for xmas the colour on the bottom left of the book cover. 

When i saw the book i thought it may have been by Geoff Marshall whos aYou Tube channel is always interesting and quirky. Also if you like the tube a guy called Jago Hazzard has an interesting channel he does the tube,dlr and quirky London facts. 

[BR60103]

Among other local Covids, there was a case at each of 3 stores in one chain -- the stores that we patronise. SWMBO is now reluctant to go to them. Two grocery stores and a pharmacy. She was at one just this morning.

Resignation of second highest person in provincial cabinet. Spent Xmas at very expensive island resort but left misleading social media posts behind.

Gov't now pondering only giving preliminary jabs.

I ran a couple of trains today. 

 

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

The lockdown has struck close to home.  Although the dental practice concerned has not bothered to tell me, it appears that the civil engineering work on my mouth that was due to be undertaken tomorrow has been postponed until further notice.  The recorded message that plays when you phone leaves much to be desired and verges on the garbled.  From Stalag Surgery, on the other hand, there is a deafening silence.  We are told that the over-70s are among those prioritised for vaccination and no doubt I will be told in due course.  I am not inclined to start World War 3 by asking the question.

 

There may be a few daring escapades in the weeks to come, given prevailing uncertainties as to which shops are or are not essential.  Here is my first candidate.  Yesterday one of the nose pads on my spectacles suffered a failure.  I tried calling Specsavers, only to be subjected to a less than coherent message.  It then became a case of dashing into town on the bus.  This is the daring bit, for one never knows quite what Route 5 will do next.  At Specsavers the assistant would have had me sit on a chair outside the shop!  Fortunately she relented and offered me the chair intended for those who had an appointment.  The new pads were fitted speedily and I was out and back well within the hour.

 

Meanwhile, amid all this excitement I neglected to charge my phone yesterday.  It now appears lifeless.  Why am I so hopeless with technology?

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

I am fairly certain it is raining. We will be off to Leigh on Sea today after breakfast so I can visit the heart failure clinic. I suspect the result will be “keep taking your tablets”. I have an echocardiogram booked for next week. 
Nothing planned after we return. No bins today, they will be collected tomorrow. I need to write a note for a courier to take a parcel next door if it comes while we are out. It is too early to have the predicted delivery from DPD yet. 
Tony
 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from down ere, in the land where many letters are dropped, not just aitches.  It's gradually getting light and is definitely lighter on an evening these days.  

 

The lounge looks bare now that the decorations have gone butvas several family cards only arrived yesterday, along with the aforementioned Cliff Richard wrinkle display, the family cards arectonstay for another couple of weeks. 

 

I even got a bit of work done in the shed yesterday and we finished watching, Unbelievable on Netflix. Compelling viewing and well made.  

 

This morning the two new arrivals are coming up to sort through some paperwork an try and pick my brains. I wish them luck.  This afternoon I may well be loading the trailer ready for a tip run tomorrow.

 

It sounds like we need some sort of mass extinctionn programme for black canines. Perhaps a model railway show, prescribed on the NHS.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, from a cold and locked down Fraggle Rock, although in typical behaviour, Mrs NHN who works for 'Government', being they who said on the radio last night 'every possible effort to work at home must be made', is required to go to work in the Big City.  She is decidedly NOT IMPRESSED.  Beware anyone crossing her path today!  

 

I see faceache posts dismantling in great details the Chief Ministers words last night, to attempt to justify not wearing face masks, as it was 'recommended' not compulsory or whatever - what the &^%$ is it with these people?  Just DO IT FFS. it's only three weeks, they won't kill you - but Covid might.  Honestly......death's too good for them.

[jamie92208]

6 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Morning, from a cold and locked down Fraggle Rock, although in typical behaviour, Mrs NHN who works for 'Government', being they who said on the radio last night 'every possible effort to work at home must be made', is required to go to work in the Big City.  She is decidedly NOT IMPRESSED.  Beware anyone crossing her path today!  

 

I see faceache posts dismantling in great details the Chief Ministers words last night, to attempt to justify not wearing face masks, as it was 'recommended' not compulsory or whatever - what the &^%$ is it with these people?  Just DO IT FFS. it's only three weeks, they won't kill you - but Covid might.  Honestly......death's too good for them.

Perhaps Mrs NHN should take her bow and a quiver of arrows with her to work and prop it by her desk.

 

Jamie

[Barry O]

Ey up! Apologies for a late appearance.. I slept in.. now that hasn't happened for ages!

 

Frosty outside but today I am required to use the useless vacuum cleaner on most floors and a mop and bucket on others as part of the cleaning the house game..pah!

 

Lockdown may have started but traffic around here has not reduced apart from a lack of school delivery runs.. As for Jamies old employers.. the new ghost team are in.. they are tucked away in the warmth somewhere. A certain late Divisional Commander will be turning in his ashes!

 

I have put extra padl9cks on the black dog door. It did get in just before Christmas but a quick chuch of a stick guided it back out again. Long maynit stay out.

 

Positive thoughts to all ERs!

TTFN.

Baz

[New Haven Neil]

9 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Perhaps Mrs NHN should take her bow and a quiver of arrows with her to work and prop it by her desk.

 

Jamie

 

Be afraid.  Very afraid.....

 

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple hare.

Couldn't get to sleep  then eventually did for 3 hours, then couldn't get to sleep, then eventually did for 2 hours..

unfortunately Ben the alarm clock Collie failed in his duties, I awoke ten minutes after I should have departed for work...

After doing the azure coloured rear ended insect thing I eventually got here 10 minutes late..

 

Part of not sleeping was a large amount of water hitting the windows from the east.. The roads were flooded fully across in several places and even where not the side puddles are large.. For most of my journey in there are no drains, just soakaways sometimes leading to ditches.. Since they are all full there's nowhere for the water to go..

 

As it is I've not delayed anything, the overnight crosscheck of the last two days work failed miserably, it didn't even finish the test programme properly.. It's now rerunning, and then the system they said I could have this morning was supposed to have a verify only on which takes about 12 hours.. Instead someone has put on a measure and adjust.. .. which takes 15 hours,, So that will take a couple of more hours to run before I get it.

 

So I'm currently measuring another temperature meter, delivered to the department... December 24th... they haven't got the normal 5 day turn round on that one.. With all the other work, it won't be finished for another week..

 

We have at work" Inspire awards" points generated to your account for time served every 5 years, and if someone thinks you have done well at something, they can put you forward for an award... Someone I've never heard of, has caused the depositing of thousands of points into my account, he must be very senior because he gave awards to 84 other people at the same time, why I have no idea, but it now means there is sufficient points in there to go looking to see what I can order on the prizes page..  Just been told by someone else, who got the points, it's worth £45 in Amazon credit. I think that may be sent on a tin of antifouling for the boat..

 

Ah 2.5 hours late just got the equipment

 

Time to get started..

 

[BoD]

Morning all

 

In the latest news the three wise men have appeared from their hiding place behind the Sky box and are approaching the crib.   All other decorations have been down for a couple of days but this is a tradition Valerie likes to maintain.  Having said that the tree is down it now needs to go up...  the steps to the loft seem to get steeper each year.

 

 

9 hours ago, BSW01 said:

This morning the window cleaners turned up unexpectedly, although there were due this week, but as we’re now in lockdown we didn’t think they’d come, but at least the windows are nice and clean. 

It’s hardly a job that they can do working from home. 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Hardly slept a wink last night due to the sore foot. Its eased slightly after a clean dressing was put on it this morning and now waiting for the Nurofen to kick in. As I mentioned the weather seems to play some part in it. It is always worse when it rains and last night it poured down but this morning its starting to clear up, there might even be some sunshine. Once the muggatee has been drunk an eyelid inspection will be called for.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

It’s another frosty start to the day here in the northwest of England, currently 1C out there, but as I don’t need to go outside, I’ll stay put in the cellar. 

 

Today i shall carry on working on the turntable control panel, I’ll fit another socket in for the supply to the  turntable motor. I’ll then alter and test the delay start circuit boards I made a few weeks ago, as I now know they are wrong, having discovered the typo on the product data sheet. Luckily this is a very easy fix, remove the voltage regulator, turn it round 180 degrees and the resolder it back in place and repeat 14 times! 

 

Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later. 

 

Brian 

Edited January 6, 2021 by BSW01

[BSW01]

5 minutes ago, BoD said:

 

It’s hardly a job that they can do working from home. 

Very true, but is it an essential job?

But it does mean that I now don’t have to do it, result!

[jonny777]

Dry, but cloudy and cold here in North Somerset. 

 

The Black dog has appeared here in the past, but not for a while. It certainly was a strange affair as I could never predict its arrival, it washed over like a tidal wave and would stay for hours, if not days. I just had to sit it out. At least I didn't have to have the electrodes on my head treatment given out to my grandad in the 1960s. 

 

I seem to have kept it under control recently by a big decrease in alcohol intake. 

 

Chr*stm*s decoration were put back in their boxes yesterday, and TBH I am glad to see the back of them. The covid dominated festivities which are best forgotten. 

 

Now it is back to the jigsaw.... happy days. 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

It's been raining for hours and still was last time I looked a few minutes ago.  Forecasters claim that it will brighten up this afternoon.  Wish I could.

Port landing gear playing up again due, I suspect, to lack of proper exercise.   Not going walking in the rain though.

Another wasted Shed visit yesterday.  Just stood looking at the layout and thinking "Why am I here? What do I do next? Why the f### did I start this?"  I'm sure that a lot of you have been down that road.  Maybe inspiration will strike today.

Today's moan was brought to you by our sponsors "Pathetique of Sutton."

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited January 6, 2021 by grandadbob

[Coombe Barton]

Overnight light dusting of snow. Bin men been (yes, I remembered) - or should it be been men bin?

I have been invited to a Teams meeting tomorrow - and so the year begins ...

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

To paraphrase the late, maybe not lamented, Larry Grayson - what a grey day.  No rain promised but that was the case yesterday and we did get some drizzle - which of course was carefully timed to arrive while I was taking some exercise walking round the Tesco car park and watching the passing train.  

 

Today is decorations down day although that basically mean boxing away the Christmas trees. (yes definitely plural) and various oddments that get strung along the mantelpiece or hung on the front door.  That sort of thing is obviously work best delegated to females although i shall no doubt be required to get one tree back into its plastic bag then into its box plus assisting the GD in humping it all up into the attic.  and then I will inevitably be required to go into cat scaring mode and wield the device that cleans vacuum.  No doubt mum cat Poppy will be greatly upset as she will no longer have the big tree to attack, knock things off to use as balls to chase, and hide underneath when told off for knocking things off it.   Yes Christmas is over once again.

 

No other news to report - the lad is busy on the 'phone as usual and might well be involved in some 'telephone training' of his newly appointed assistant - who lives in Katowice (and was recruited bya remote process as well).   As a matter of total irrelevance it is just over 45 years since I was in Katowice but I wasn't training anybody as I was invited to drive a rather nice 2-10-0 around the shed yard and showed them how to stop on a rising brake.

 

Havea good day one and all and stay safe and try to keep that black dog firmly in its kennel.

[New Haven Neil]

I'm sure the weather is to blame, GDB.  SAD or whatever.

 

I was going great guns with my O Gauge, in less than a year from it being an American outline HO layout to 2/3rds finished O gauge Forest of Deanish, but it has ground to a halt.  I too go down there and look at it, but little else happens.  Same with the bikes, I have a bike on the bench ready to strip and overhaul the engine, it's been there for 6 weeks untouched.

 

It was 2c and frosty when I took the boss for her bus this morning, now it is -1c and sunny and still frosty if not worse - work that one out.  I need to split wood for the burner so at least that will get me outside, I just took a walk to the village shop and with our lockdown starting....I was the only person with a mask on.  No social distancing taking place, what a joke.  Folk saying 'it doesn't start until midnight', well did anyone tell the virus that?  Jeeze.....

[Gwiwer]

11 hours ago, BSW01 said:

window cleaners turned up unexpectedly .... as we’re now in lockdown we didn’t think they’d come,

Surely that is one of the jobs that cannot be done from home.  
 

[Barry O]

Still frosty here .. been out to top up the birdfeeders.. this was due to being given the bad eye form one of our robins.. boy he has a fearsome glare!

 

Vacuum has been cleaned.. floors have been swabbed.. that is my house work done for the day.  woooopppppidddooo!

 

@grandadbob .. it happens to us all Bob. It has taken me several weeks to almost finish an item to carry people in some comfort on parallel lines of Nickel Silver.. thought I had it finished yesterday.. nope I had missed the duckets off it.. DOH!

 

Off to prepare for a Leeds MRS "show and talk" zoom meeting tonight.. this could be fun!

 

TTFN

 

Baz

[Coombe Barton]

59 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Surely that is one of the jobs that cannot be done from home.  

Except with a very long pole