Early Risers.

[polybear]

5 minutes ago, BoD said:

We prefer to stay away from the food shops if possible during Christmas week itself - they tend to be ridiculously busy.   Perhaps this year will be more subdued than usual. I somewhat doubt it.

 

Snap; History always seems to show that people bung it on the plastic and worry afterwards - only to discover they're totally in the sh1t.  This year that sh1t will be somewhat deeper than usual though.

 

In other news:

A few memories here; at least cars were fixable on the drive back then - which was a good thing cos' most seemed to need it at regular intervals:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/big-selling-cars-now-vanishing-from-our-roads/ss-AA14TSdu?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=c4f6ef23472d41d1ab06eb589164a4c1#image=41

[Barry O]

first job complete.. cricket presentation for Friday read and approved.. next up shark wielding..

 

Baz

[Erichill16]

Morning All,

Nephews  here, doesn’t seem much wrong with him, SWMBO not well, Syd been wondering around most of the night and doesn’t want his breakfast. So that leaves Hovis and me and I’ve still got the cold I had during our exhibition in early November and my teeth are REALLY REALLY sensitive at the moment.

As Ian Able might  say ‘onwards’

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I had a strange rash last night, i noticed it as I went to bed. My arms were itchy and with a few red spots. Fortunately it has gone this morning. Now I have to tune in to an auction where I have made some commission bids, be back later.

[88C]

Sadly I have to give bad news about @chrisf, he was found collapsed on his living room by the police. This morning I had a call from a lady at the coroner’s office to inform me of his death. I can’t remember when she said the police attended but for some reason they didn’t get back to me sooner. At the moment I can’t give any more details, I will have to leave it to the local authorities to do what has to be done and the coroner’s will keep in touch.

 

Brian

[Barry O]

Brian

Very sad news indeed. Another Master Driveller heads skywards.

 

our thoughts are with you and Chris's relations.

 

Baz

 

[grandadbob]

That is terrible news Brian.  Met Chris many times at shows and got on well with him.  He will be sadly missed here on ERs and elsewhere on the forum and I think by the modelling fraternity in general.

[DaveF]

This is very sad news about Chris.  I never met him but felt I was getting to know him through ERs.  My thoughts are with his relatives.

 

David

[New Haven Neil]

News of Chris's death has deeply saddened me, he will be missed.  RIP mate.

 

In hardly important news, 0c feels like -6 this morning.

[southern42]

Very sad news of Chris. I was just getting to know him a little better in online meetings: a very lovely, adventurous and optimistic, person. RIP Chris and may your journey take you on many heavenly railtours.

Polly

[jamie92208]

Terrible news about Chris.  I'll try and put some more thoughts together in due course but for those of you who didn't know him, he is on the left of  this photo, nearest the camera.

Taken in 2016 at a gathering of the so called 'Brains Trust' in London.

 

RIP Chris you will be much missed.

 

Jamie

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by jamie92208

[polybear]

Brian,

A real shock to hear of Chris's untimely death 😢 - I too have never met Chris but feel I know him thru' ER'ers.  Very special Beary thoughts are with you and your family.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

First off, my thoughts are with Chris's @chrisf family, I’d met and chatted to him several times at shows in and around the north and he always struck me as a funny guy, he’ll be sadly missed on ER’s that’s for sure! 

 

Now, back to today, the sky is clear and blue and there is a thick frost on the workshop roof, even the arbour which is close to the back door has a frost on its roof! I was going to head to the workshop this morning and do a bit of tidying up, but it’s currently -4C outside, so I think staying inside will be the order of the day. 

 

Back later. 

 

Brian

[DaveF]

 

It's a sunny morning here again and much warmer, only -1.5C but I still won't be going to the beach for a walk - the thin layer of snow from last night is covering the slippery ice.

 

Those who read my post yesterday evening will know I was feeling annoyed.  Having told the maintenance company the flat was sold they e mailed me to say they cannot remove Mum's name as the person to contact about the flat as the other management company had not updated their records as they didn't know the flat had been sold.  They attached a copy of correspondence between the two companies.

 

So I rang the ground rent company who said they didn't even know the flat was being sold let alone that it had a new owner and that no solicitors had contacted them at any time.  So they couldn't remove Mum but they wouldn't write to her until they had sorted it out also could I give them the buyer's name and their solicitors as according to the lease they have to say they have bought the flat and pay the £10 transfer fee.  So I rang the solicitors who dealt with it for me and got the relevant information and then rang the company back.  Then they wanted to know the name of my solicitors so I pointed out that I had already told them when I wrote to them saying the flat was being sold - which of course they deny knowing anything about.  I also told them I have spoken to them on the phone and e mailed them since. 

 

In the end I wrote them an e mail with everyones details in again, this time they have acknowledged it.

 

I think the real problem is that my solicitor did not ask them for the "seller's pack" which seems to be just a copy of the lease and a contact name at the firm for which they charge a 3 figure sum.  There is no mention in the lease of a requirement to do that, or even inform them when a flat is marketed.  So they cannot insist and my solicitor knew that as they have sold flats subject to the same management company before. Also the company will make no money on recording the transfer as the lease only allows a fee of £10. These companies make their money by relying on gullible leaseholders and solicitors who do not read and understand leases.  My solicitor has told me they will sort it out and I am not to bother about it.

 

Quite a long time ago Mum and I went through the lease with her solicitor when the company made a mistake and asked for money they were not entitled to, since then I have always read every legal document in detail to make sure I understand them.   At that time I decided I would never buy a leasehold property without studying the lease in detail - and even then probably would not buy one.

 

That took up a lot of the day!  The rest was pleasant catching up on some reading and sliding across the road to friends for morning coffee.

 

In the evening I watched German TV again - the highlights of 15 years of "Krone der Volksmusik" which was very enjoyable and helped me relax.  Tonight's TV will will be "Die grosse Show der Weihnachts Lieder".  It is some time since I watched much German TV, I am finding I have forgotten a lot of words so have to concentrate hard.  I should add that I have always understood German much better than I speak it.

 

The rest of the day will hopefully be spent doing things I enjoy!

 

David

Edited December 14, 2022 by DaveF

[Debs.]

Thank you Brian for informing us of the unexpected passing of our friend Chris.

I wish to offer sincere condolences to all his family and friends.

Kindest,

Debs.

[southern42]

On 13/12/2022 at 17:03, southern42 said:

Snip...and my Muppet Bert hat.

Snip...Bus home - novel! They have even changed the bus numbers since I last went on one of these! Create evidence:

 

Here is the full scene as revamped by Sis. She is naughty, sometimes, but that is wot makes me proud to call her Sis!

 

-4C last night, -0.1C when I got up, 0.2C now (no minus symbol;) Going up!

Lots of little jobs this morning. First is to turn some leftover bread slices into bread pudding. Then it will be finishing off some homemade gift tags, wrapping up some more presies, and maybe fit in a toot on the flute.

 

Not as joyous, today, after the news of Chrisf, but his courage can spur us on.

 

Keep safe. Be good. Be strong.

Polly

Edited December 14, 2022 by southern42

[iL Dottore]

Oh %34**", that's sad news indeed about ChrisF. My thoughts to his family.

 

He was a great chum - the sort of chum that you could have a cracking good time with one minute and happily strangle the next.😊

 

A great member of the ER "Brains Trust" Someone who had forgotten more about the GWR and BR (WR) than I'll ever know. A man who introduced me to Real Ale and the (dubious?) pleasure of drinking Cider over Ice. Someone who was audacious enough to take (at scale forum I think) something I had bunged together for his layout and present to a Senior Person at the Pendon stand - praising my work as he did so (cheeky so and so). A stubborn bu99er when he wanted to be.

 

The last time we met up was when we tried to have a Brains Trust meeting in September (but many were absent that Saturday - so it was just me, Chris and Dave [@unravelled] a great time was had by all). He seemed tired, but hale and hearty. I hope that his death was quick and painless - he deserved no less.

 

Finally, a final thought on Chris: a gentle man by nature, I think he was a man living in the wrong part of the century (his antipathy to and difficulty with technology was well known) - I have often thought he was - in many ways - a 1950s Gent (and we could do with more of those)

 

RIP Mr Christopher Foren, you will be missed and I'll salute your memory tonight with a wee dram...

 

iD

Edited December 14, 2022 by iL Dottore
Typo

[BoD]

Like some others, I only knew Chris through ERs. Nevertheless, I am deeply saddened as I feel I have lost a good friend.

[CN6]

After sitting in the mornings catching up on the variety of topics that gets covered by ER’s, and having never knowingly met anyone in person, it’s been a sad day today learning of the demise of Chrisf.

[Tony_S]

I am really sad to learn of Chris’ death. I have met him, at exhibitions often at the RMWeb meet-up. He had an amazing range of interests and was incredibly knowledgeable about them. 
I used to really like his early morning posts, definitely a “thought for the day” event for me. 

Tony

[Compound2632]

On 12/12/2022 at 13:48, Winslow Boy said:

That is sexist remark. Manxwomen are just as capable of screwing up a car crash as a Manxman it's just that they are usually the ones giving the directions. Whether or not that may have been the contributory factor  to the crash i couldn't possibly comment.

 

What you miss is that I was drawing attention to the use of "Manxmen" in the original post...

[Gwiwer]

7 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Most visitors to the Blue Mountains make straight for Katoomba to see  the Three Sisters, teh scenic railway and skyway  etc

There used to be an old British bus doing the tours - a de-roofed Bristol VRT - but I suspect that’s long gone now. 20 years ago it was said to be the only operational vehicle of its type in Australia although two others (still with their roofs) claimed the same in Melbourne. 
 

7 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

before he had a chance to relocate to  outback Queensland

Outback Queensland is vast.  So vast that no-one has ever accurately described its vastness. To paraphrase Douglas Adams “it is really mind-bogglingly big”. But in the past few days one tiny spot in that vastness has acquired a most unenviable and tragic reputation and has seen more police officers murdered in the line of duty than any other single incident, Australia-wide, for quite some time. 
 

Greetings, and a Happy Lunchtime, from a now-thawed Gwiwer who has endured temperatures “feeling like” -8C these past two days in the line of duty.  It is cold by London’s srandards and that snow mistake (sorry). I am well aware that many other places consider such temperatures to be no more than “a wee bit bracing”. 
 

In addition to the well-rehearsed rugging-up routine the Little Hotties warming pads and my USB-rechargeable handwarmers have been used to good advantage. The customer service smile remains despite the conditions.  Or as I have put it to trainees from time to time “No-one forces us to work here; if working outdoors at all hours and in all weathers is not for you then don’t sign up for the railways”. 
 

Both of us have also felt slightly off colour but continue to test negative for Wuhan Woohaa. It’s some form of mild cold but it also seems to affect the waste management systems; both require slightly more frequent visits than usual.  The cold weather has not helped; the urge for a quick number one cannot be cast aside and has to be addressed immediately. 
 

The white stuff has mostly melted away here but what remains keeps re-freezing so there are some nasty icy patches ready to un-hoof the unwary. 
 

Take care. Keep as warm as you can. Hot soup can be provided if required* 

 

 

 

 

* for those within five miles radius 

 

[Coombe Barton]

... Insert appropriate emoticon when you see what it is ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/12/14/sounds-of-the-season-2022-23-18-now-1-in-27/

[Gwiwer]

4 hours ago, 88C said:

Sadly I have to give bad news about @chrisf

For reasons known only to the internet this and subsequent posts were not available to me until moments ago. My post above was made accordingly without this knowledge. 
 

This is very sad news and another modelling and Brains Trust buddy has departed from among us. 
 

My thoughts go out to those who knew him perhaps better than I did, family and close friends, for there is never a good time to go but right in front of the otherwise-Festive Season is a real b*gg*r.

 

We had met several times, at Brains Trust and Ally Pally, so I now feel quite a sense of loss. Ever quiet and typically keeping his own counsel I hugely respected his various postings and public statements regarding his lifestyle. Not easy at all even these days.  
 

A moment’s silence shall be observed later at a time more appropriate for the raising of a glass. 
 

Thank you Chris for your quiet wisdom, insightful posts and round-the-table conversations. You will be much missed. 

Edited December 14, 2022 by Gwiwer
Wrong “insightful” corrected

[PhilJ W]

Very sorry to hear of @chrisf's death, condolences to his family. I have had the good fortune to meet with him on several occasions. I seem to have something in my eye.