Early Risers.

[tigerburnie]

Morning, I couldn't get on here last night to wish you a goodnight, indeed it was very slow for most of yesterday, other sites were accessible, so no idea what happened, suns out and I may well go fishing for a while, take care all and enjoy your day.

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

@iL Dottore IIRC you started an 'Underground' cameo - how about watching the 'Secrets of the UndergrounD' TV prog on catch-up and.....finishing it?  It had a rather special feel to it, the work you had done was rather good and inspirational.  Not sure why I find the Underground so interesting, but it fascinates me.  I'd love to go on one of those trips around the secret parts (ie unused/abandoned), even better if it was with Siddy Holloway....

Fortunately, SwisscomTV does carry the Yesterday channel and, thanks to a tip-off on RMWeb, I have been recording the programme and watching it at my leisure.

 

Sadly, my Underground Cameo/Diorama - like all things R*****y M*******g with me at has gone into stasis.

 

iD

 

p.s. It must be my age, but I find Siddy Holloway to be far less interesting than the rolling stock, Underground posters, tunnels and stations....

p.p.s. This looks like fun (sadly, didn't get a chance to go last time I was in Berlin)

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by iL Dottore

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

....edit:  In fairness it probably rates as a 5 star watch when compared to complete, total and utter b011ox such as this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58306258...

panem et circenses, My Dear Bear, panem et circenses...

[chrisf]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

Any suggestions for restarting the r*****y m*******g Mojo?

Something tells me that you are not the only inmate asking that question.  In fact I know you're not.  I am!  Fellow m*d*ll*rs, the time for secrecy is over and gone.

 

Chris

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Late on parade today, but due to current health issues I didn't get the best of nights sleep, so consequently we had a lie in and late breakfast. 

 

I will not be over exerting myself today, so the plan is to continue to work on the cupboard. 

 

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

 

Brian 

[jamie92208]

I had a similar lack of modelling mojo problem a few months sgo and a good friend suggested starting something simple and achievable. I tried that and it worked.

 

Jamie

 

PS  a good friend has just delivered a bag of home baked goodies that includes Lemon Drizzle buns.      

Edited August 24, 2021 by jamie92208

[southern42]

‘ morning all from red dragon land.

Sun shining.  

 

Sunday, I finally got the last three decals on the rear of the VW bus - I have put some photos on my Cakebox Challenge thread, link in signature.

 

Yesterday’s warm sunny weather saw me back doing some G word. Mostly pulling out soapwart and ivy roots though they will probably grow back again next.
More to do today. I am also watching the hibiscus buds. They got demolished last year by very hungry caterpillars. 

 

Toot on the flute and some figures for the bus to complete.

But first mugadecaf.

 

Take care all and play safe.

 

 

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Our Matthew was born 29 years ago today. Aditi’s OneDrive sent her a birthday photo. This was 2016 and the last birthday of his we had together. In August 2017 he was in Ireland looking for somewhere to live before starting his PhD at Maynooth. In this photo we were eating out in Southend and he was just about to set off for his final year in Utrecht (though quite a bit of that year was doing research in Cork).

[TheQ]

Not been to a restaurant in 2 years..

 

At the moment those round here are struggling unable to recruit staff, many were from the EU and went home when things closed down for Covid. This means many have lost their right to be here at all. Even those from the UK that used to work in the business seem to have disappeared..

 

Many of the pub /restaurants here, are out in the countryside, no local source of staff, no public transport to the business, so the minimum wage staff are just not available.

[TheQ]

Ooo.. My sailing club made the local papers..

 

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/boating-award-for-horning-sailing-club-8267932

[Compound2632]

15 minutes ago, TheQ said:

At the moment those round here are struggling unable to recruit staff, many were from the EU and went home when things closed down for Covid. This means many have lost their right to be here at all. Even those from the UK that used to work in the business seem to have disappeared..

 

No doubt those who objected to Eastern Europeans "taking local jobs" would be much happier with those jobs being filled by staff from Commonwealth countries...

[Tony_S]

12 minutes ago, TheQ said:

 

Many of the pub /restaurants here, are out in the countryside, no local source of staff, no public transport to the business, so the minimum wage staff are just not available.

I was reading an article on the BBC website and it appears that there are 60000 lorry driving vacancies at the moment. One transport company owner mentioned he had to increase wages to keep his staff. Official suggestions to help food /supermarket deliveries include using qualified drivers from the army and prisoners on day release schemes. A t the time of writing visas for those who until recently drove many of these trucks were being resisted. 
 

[New Haven Neil]

I note the relevant part of my HR studies 'some time ago' was 'Recruitment and RETENTION'.  It is plain that for some time businesses have not needed to bother with the latter, and now pay the price.  Who would have thought. 

 

Several eateries here have succumbed, but the good ones with happy well paid staff are fine.  There's a lesson there.

 

iD, I have a break of several months every year when modelling mojo evaporates, but is replaced by other hobbies - as indeed I note you also indulge in your Gear Acquisition sideline.  Come the cooler (non-biking for me) weather and hopefully in my case this year arrival later of a building for the layout another RMWebber has kindly volunteered to make for me, will kick start things once again.  In the meantime a little constructional time is being spent on a little O Gauge loco kit that has no place whatsoever on the layout, but is a loco from my teenage years, keeps me pottering on when a flicker of mojo appears.  Did an hour on it yesterday (awaiting that bl**dy boiler engineer) and soldered a few more parts on the chassis.  It is a slow process as it'snot the sort of kit with step by step instructions, so some thought is needed!

[TheQ]

I restarted the hobby as I knew I'd need something for  winter retirement..

 

As yet not a total loss of Mojo, though I gave up in the depths of Covid lockdown over the winter, going down to the mobile home to continue muddling while most of the time was taken warming the mobile home up, only to leave as it finally got warm, just did not appeal.

 

Sailing is my hobby all year round, but there is just one day of the week of it in the winter.. But when I've retired I could spend 3 days a week down there, excluding working on my own boats.. The might not be acceptable to some parties.. so choices will have to be made..

 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Fortunately, SwisscomTV does carry the Yesterday channel and, thanks to a tip-off on RMWeb, I have been recording the programme and watching it at my leisure.

 

Sadly, my Underground Cameo/Diorama - like all things R*****y M*******g with me at has gone into stasis.

 

iD

 

p.s. It must be my age, but I find Siddy Holloway to be far less interesting than the rolling stock, Underground posters, tunnels and stations....

p.p.s. This looks like fun (sadly, didn't get a chance to go last time I was in Berlin)

 

Another one to put on my bucket list (under maybe-sometime). Like the similar trip around the Post Office railway which I also have on my bucket list.

[iL Dottore]

Thank you for your words of encouragement, Neil.

 

Unfortunately, one of the problems in getting my m*******g Mojo back is the continued (and illegal) annexation of my m*******g space by Mrs iD. I have  already posted - on ER - about  to this expulsion of yours truly from his m*******g room sometime ago. Sadly, the situation has not changed; if anything, it has gotten worse as much of the floor of the m*******g area is now densely carpeted by rocks, pebbles, branches, pieces of driftwood and anything else Mrs iD thinks could contribute to her artistic endeavours.

 

And to add insult to injury (or is that injury to insult?), When Mrs ID is in one of her artistic and creative moods, I often get press-ganged into assisting her and frequently my own personal modelling supplies get confiscated and appropriated for her project(s).

 

Like a Polish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian or French exile in the UK in WWII, I dream of the time when my m*******g homelands will be liberated from the oppressive and tyrannical yoke of Mrs IDs KunstRegime

 

iD

[Gwiwer]

10 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

To be fair thats only because the wildlife can be total pr1cks sometimes.

 

 

 

I’d be pretty ropable if you called me quokka, galah or thylacine

 

The story goes that when whitefella* first met the Giant Australian Hopping Mouse they asked the blackfella* what it was called.  “Kangaroo” was the reply. Which, apochryphally, meant “Go forth and mind your own business”.  

* terms generally used and accepted by Australia’s traditional custodians. 

[chrisf]

51 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Like a Polish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian or French exile in the UK in WWII, I dream of the time when my m*******g homelands will be liberated from the oppressive and tyrannical yoke of Mrs IDs KunstRegime

Even I, a single and gay man, know better than to interfere between husband and wife ...

 

Chris

[AndrewC]

My mojo vanished ages ago. Even trying a simple kit has ended in frustration. Picked up a Peco OO-9 loco when we visited the Ffestiniog in July. Missing some bits. Have doubles of other parts. Now o have to fill in the little slip of paper and post it off, likely to never be replied to. Worst of all I have a Farish pannier that would be a perfect chassis donor. Can I find the bloody thing? Can I bollards! 
 

[Northroader]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Thank you for your words of encouragement, Neil.

 

Unfortunately, one of the problems in getting my m*******g Mojo back is the continued (and illegal) annexation of my m*******g space by Mrs iD. I have  already posted - on ER - about  to this expulsion of yours truly from his m*******g room sometime ago. Sadly, the situation has not changed; if anything, it has gotten worse as much of the floor of the m*******g area is now densely carpeted by rocks, pebbles, branches, pieces of driftwood and anything else Mrs iD thinks could contribute to her artistic endeavours.

 

And to add insult to injury (or is that injury to insult?), When Mrs ID is in one of her artistic and creative moods, I often get press-ganged into assisting her and frequently my own personal modelling supplies get confiscated and appropriated for her project(s).

 

Like a Polish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian or French exile in the UK in WWII, I dream of the time when my m*******g homelands will be liberated from the oppressive and tyrannical yoke of Mrs IDs KunstRegime

 

iD

 

Build her a shed, doc., then put your layout in it.

[Compound2632]

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I was reading an article on the BBC website and it appears that there are 60000 lorry driving vacancies at the moment. One transport company owner mentioned he had to increase wages to keep his staff. 

 

Well, that is how the free market and the law of supply and demand are supposed to work. 

Edited August 24, 2021 by Compound2632

[polybear]

6 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Bl**dy boiler engineer didn't turn up yesterday after leaving a message promising to change a component in the boiler he has been going to do for ages.  Chased him to eventually get some excuse about his van, why can't these people call customers to let us know they are delayed?

 

Wait awhile then book him for a "nice little earner" job.  Then make sure you're out at the agreed time - see how he likes it...

 

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

......and - dare I say it - a frequently less than discerning clientele with the cost of eating a meal out often being the overriding and deciding factor.

 

So what's the problem with frozen crinkle-cut oven chips exactly??

 

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

And continuing on the theme of (almost) forbidden subjects, It has slowly dawned on me that, despite the time afforded by the pandemic restrictions, I haven’t done any r*****y m*******g for over two years now.

Any suggestions for restarting the r*****y m*******g Mojo?

 

 

Do a kitchen refurb.  That'll re-ignite the spark.  Even Bear has such thoughts recently...Puppers has just fainted....

 

6 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

I still haven't heard from the clinic about an appointment to discuss the biopsy results and whether any further treatment will be required.

 

It's Bear's view that "no news is good news" in such situations.....

 

6 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

I've finally given in and joined the 21st century by acquiring an iPhone 6+ that I am currently setting up. So far I've watched over an hour of tutorials on the thing and have learned how to do lots of clever stuff with it (the vast majority of which I'm extremely unlikely ever to use) but so far haven't found out how to make a 'phone call! It seems that is a minor consideration. Fortunately I haven't paid a fortune for it - in fact I haven't paid anything for it as it was given to me by a friend who is in the business and has recently upgraded his own 'phone so had this one lying in a drawer. Tightwad, me??

 

 

Bear's phone is hand-me-down iphone 6 (I think).  Sadly it won't run the track n' trace App

 

5 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

I'd love to go on one of those trips around the secret parts (ie unused/abandoned), even better if it was with Siddy Holloway....

 

Anyone else read this as NHN having a "thing" for someone called Sidney?

Incidentally, Annabel Croft was one of the celebs on "The Chase" the other night.  Now I'd gladly share my cake with Ms. Croft...

 

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

panem et circenses, My Dear Bear, panem et circenses...

 

OK, who else had to Google that?

 

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I was reading an article on the BBC website and it appears that there are 60000 lorry driving vacancies at the moment. One transport company owner mentioned he had to increase wages to keep his staff.
 

 

They should've been running a driver training programme, with the driver signed up for X years service in order to repay the cost.  Seems to work in the airline industry.

 

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Like a Polish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian or French exile in the UK in WWII, I dream of the time when my m*******g homelands will be liberated from the oppressive and tyrannical yoke of Mrs IDs KunstRegime

 

iD

 

So Mrs iD is Captain Cynical's Kryptonite.....

 

In other news:

Bear spent far too many hours search for home insurance renewal deals - eventually losing the will to live.  Saved just under 80 quid in the end, but it was painful....

 

And Bear's good news of the day:

The Tiler *may* be available sometime next week, or soon after - so fears of waiting months are *hopefully* unfounded

[PupCam]

Clear Prop, Switches ON, Contact!

 

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

And continuing on the theme of (almost) forbidden subjects, It has slowly dawned on me that, despite the time afforded by the pandemic restrictions, I haven’t done any r*****y m*******g for over two years now.

 

Any suggestions for restarting the r*****y m*******g Mojo?

 

Two years! Pah!  A mere moment in time ....

 

I started my scratch built 1/3 scale Sopwith Triplane as my contribution to the WW1 Dawn Patrol Display Team back in ~2008 and last worked on the airframe proper in 2014 ish although I did have a most interesting diversion in 2015 scratch building the 1/3 scale Vickers machine gun to go on it.    As you may recall from the photographs I posted on here a while ago, it's at the stage where it basically looks like an aeroplane but there's an awful lot of "finishing" still to do.   Despite plenty of ribbing, encouragement & cajoling from my model flying mates it's just gathering dust in the garage although I did assemble it last year in the back garden, mainly to see if I could remember how it all went together!       Unfortunately the R/C model flying forum in which I documented its construction has disappeared in a puff of smoke and, if I'm honest, even tif the Dawn Patrol group has not formerly disbanded it's certainly far less active and cohesive than it was in the "glory days" - great shame.

 

There's still a  brief record of it's construction on the Large Model Association's (stop sniggering at the back!) forum.

 

https://forum.largemodelassociation.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=516&start=40

 

Ultimately as this modelling activity is a past time - does it ultimately matter whether the mojo returns or not (apart from the potential waste of all the previous effort and expense)?  As others have said,  pastimes come and go and it's the having an interest in and doing something that really matters.     I've not done any real railway modelling for 25 years, my main participation (however small) in the hobby has been making a reasonably significant contribution to the organisation and running of the CMRA's exhibition until 2020 although, as you know, I've been amusing myself with a 7mm 08 and a DCC controller and have been idly thinking about a small, shunting puzzle type layout of late.     For the last few years my most active pastime  has been my re-kindled interest and joy in riding motorcycles after a 40 year break.

 

5 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

@iL Dottore IIRC you started an 'Underground' cameo - how about watching the 'Secrets of the UndergrounD' TV prog on catch-up and.....finishing it?  It had a rather special feel to it, the work you had done was rather good and inspirational.  Not sure why I find the Underground so interesting, but it fascinates me.  I'd love to go on one of those trips around the secret parts (ie unused/abandoned), even better if it was with Siddy Holloway....

 

I find the Underground particularly fascinating but then 95% of train travel in my youth was on the Underground visiting grand parents.   I found the northern end of the run on the Piccadilly Line video that iD posted particularly nostalgic .   I too would love to go on some of the guided tours of the hidden/disused parts of the system and to have a knowledgable guide like Siddy even better.   Come to think of it though, that might be a distraction ....

 

Many years ago the CMRA held one of it's then regular, delegates meetings at the London Underground depot (it's in Acton) and we got the chance to have a scout around and very good it was too.    More recently I've visited the museum itself at Covent Garden  which again was very good although the overall experience I recall was tarnished somewhat by hoards of screaming kids.   Mental note to self; Take ear defenders on next visit.

 

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I had a similar lack of modelling mojo problem a few months sgo and a good friend suggested starting something simple and achievable. I tried that and it worked.

 

And as an extension to that to keep it going;  do "something", however small or trivial, everyday.   Even if it is only file off some flash of a casting, cut out a 1/3 scale wing rib or whatever.    It is far easier to carry on and ramp up the rate of output than to get started again.    I won't have the first idea what to do if and when Triplane activity recommences.

 

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

I note the relevant part of my HR studies 'some time ago' was 'Recruitment and RETENTION'.  It is plain that for some time businesses have not needed to bother with the latter, and now pay the price.  Who would have thought. 

 

Unfortunately that's a business model that all the utility and insurance companies seem to follow although the key reason for that is there are very rich pickings to be had in the apathy of Joe Public (me included) not wanting to spend all their waking hours searching for "the best deal on combined broad band and gas supply" to be had.   It makes me mad!

 

Enjoy the rest of your day folks and try spending as much time  on whatever "past times" rather than work as circumstances allow.     As my mother says;  "You're a long time dead" so make the most of the time you have!

 

Alan

 

 

[iL Dottore]

30 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

..So what's the problem with frozen crinkle-cut oven chips exactly??

Well apart from the less than optimal taste (they're not really "proper" chips, are they?), why go to a restaurant and pay £5 or more for a portion of something that you can have for a few pennies at home

 

30 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

.....OK, who else had to Google that? ...

Not me.

 

30 minutes ago, polybear said:

....So Mrs iD is Captain Cynical's Kryptonite.....

Not really, just trying to avoid the whole post nuclear-apocalypse scorched-earth, barren wasteland situation...

 

Trust me it's a NATO / Warsaw Pact situation: MAD is but a wrong word away.....

[leopardml2341]

4 hours ago, TheQ said:

At the moment those round here are struggling unable to recruit staff, many were from the EU and went home when things closed down for Covid. This means many have lost their right to be here at all. Even those from the UK that used to work in the business seem to have disappeared..

 

Many of the pub /restaurants here, are out in the countryside, no local source of staff, no public transport to the business, so the minimum wage staff are just not available.

I have long said BREXIT would mean a lot of people getting a wake up call and some will have to actually work for a living now.......