Early Risers.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Cutting the grass yesterday was as close as I get to extreme sports as even that exercise has left me somewhat sore! I've been without some of my medication for about a fortnight now as there has been a worldwide manufacturing problem. Pharmacist managed to get some brand name version of the generic drug I usually have and she got the doctor to write a new prescription. I suspect the "famine" will resolve itself in a week when the price of the generic drug increases!

 

I'm not planning much today. Some parcels may arrive!

 

In Iceland my surname would be Reginaldson.

 

Gordon. I do hope your SiL is OK. My brother contracted malaria in Nigeria and still has some problems but he knows what to do now. He caught it while changing from one medication to another.

 

Tony

Edited April 3, 2014 by Tony_S

[Barry O]

My late father spent time in the RAF in Egypt/Africa and India in WW2. He contracted Malaria and every now and again had another bout of it. Nasty stuff...

[Donw]

The rain has CLEARED completely. Forecast is clear for the foreseeable future. I was being pessimistic. Maybe Winter rain will only start on Good Friday, but only a max of 22C in the interval. I like 25C as a minimum temperature

 

I got out of bet at 5:00 to switch on the heater (so that room is warm for dressing) and on swinging round to return to bed fell flat.

No damage fortunately other than a fright.

 

Frequent absences of residents from the dining room for various durations are mostly attributable to falls. We are all issued with "panic buttons" to wear around our necks which connect directly to the Duty Sister's office. I do not wear mine in bed at night, but fortunately it was not needed.

 

HAPPY Thursday all.

Do take care Don getting out of bed can be dangerous FiL had a lot of falls getting up to use the toilet.

Don

[AndrewC]

For sale: one man flu. Answers to the name of 'go the f*** away'! serious offers only.

 

 

Morning all you lovely people. Grey and foggy this morning. Same applies to the boring borough. No travel today so I get to work from home with a nice large cup(s) of coffee and my killer rabbit slippers. Bliss.

 

Loads of fall out from the previous project. One more project manager bites the dust. I pity his replacement, and mine. Major bun fight going on as the mentaloupe* of a programme director didn't catch on that I was leaving the project on April 1 due to the corporate reorg. This despite half a dozen emails and it being brought up in several conference calls. To quote Bugs Bunny "what a maroon, what an Eskimo Pie head". Right now he is likely doing his best Rumplestiltskin impression to his manager by jumping up and down screaming and pulling on his bloody hipster beard. All this in effort to get me assigned back. Ain't happening. Yes, I am enjoying this in a rather perverse sadistic sort of way.

 

Don, be careful last thing we need is for you typing with your nose because your arms are incapacitated.

 

Enough inane ramblings from me. Time for some more coffee. Have a good one.

 

* mentaloupe definition: mental agility of a cantaloupe

[Adams442T]

Found my clean cars (washed last week when it was officially cleaningtime, as I do every year, whether they need it or not) covered in a thin layer of dust yesterday.  I'd read the 'Saharan Red Dust' stories but thought they were an April Fool spoof!  Ah well, I s'pose a quick sluice down with a bucket of water would get them back to gleaming again. 

 

Awaiting a delivery today between 1.30pm and 3.30pm.  But I've just had an email advising me that another delivery should be arriving between 10.56 and 11.56!  Bu&&rit! That means I effectively won't be able to go out between about 10.30am and whenever the last parcel arrives.  

 

Wouldn't mind so much but the 10.56am one should have been coming tomorrow.  I foolishly used a delivery service from The Saleroom.Com for a lot I bought at auction on Tuesday 18th March.  I'd previously used them and wasn't overly impressed, but for convenience I thought I'd use them again.   I found they avoid answering the phone or emails and when they do tell you blatant lies, i.e., "we collected your lot this morning (on Friday), and it will be delivered on Monday", when I discovered later that they weren't actually collecting it from the auction house until this Tuesday.

 

I eventually spoke to a 'Supervisor', who said that the original contact will be given 'more training', but agreed that I shouldn't have to pay for their incompetence.  She also promised that, as was convenient for me, the parcel would be delivered on Friday, pm.  Lo and behold it's coming today!!  I wouldn't recommend anyone purchasing at auction, who's then offered their services, using them.

 

Anyway, having blown off steam about that, I feel a lot better!  Looks a bit murky out, but not windy or wet here in Slapding, so that's a bonus!  Have a good one all.

[NGT6 1315]

 

Yo, bro! How ya doin'?

[AndyB]

 

I got out of bet at 5:00 to switch on the heater (so that room is warm for dressing) and on swinging round to return to bed fell flat.

No damage fortunately other than a fright.

 

....We are all issued with "panic buttons" to wear around our necks which connect directly to the Duty Sister's office. I do not wear mine in bed at night, but fortunately it was not needed.

 

 

 

Don, you should really consider wearing it. 

My dad didn't wear his one night and had a fall visiting the bathroom. 

We found him on the floor bruised and hypothermic the next morning.  

You guys know the rest.  

 

Sorry to sound like I'm lecturing, Don, but we don't have any other correspondents in your neck of the woods to keep us up to speed on SA!  

[New Haven Neil]

Good morning, and what a dull one it is. Currently dry at least, but that is forecast to end too!

 

I now have pre-retirement mojo loss, oh woe is me.  'Am I bovvered' hahahahahahahahahahahaaaa!!!!!

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

An hour out of Harstad and heading for Trollfjord (among other places) and the Lofoten Islands - passed through a big blizzard shortly after leaving Tromsø but our run ashore was simply cold - very cold - although snow on the ground, and the music was fabulous.

 

But now the fun bit - going down towards Tromsø the Northern Lights put in an appearance, the first lot was green and we saw if from the cabin window through gaps in the clouds, the next lot - viewed from the deck - was whitish and first appeared as a halo above the moon then changed shape a bit and died and came back.  Nothing too spectacular but nice to have seen it.  But the real laugh was those taking photographs, one woman was busy trying to get a pic of the glow of the town lights above Tromsø thinking that was the Lights (confused with Blackpool perhaps?) while another pointed her digital compact in the right direction, pressed the button, off went the flash and she couldn't understand why she simply got a big image of blackness.  There are clear recommendations of how to photograph the Northern Lights on the wall behind me in the internet cafe - 20-30 second exposure, stopped right down and focus on infinity; auto controls just aren't in the game, and of course using a flash verges on stoopid, very very stoopid.

 

Incidentally we are still passing through occasional, fairly businesslike, snow showers but then we are still north of the Arctic Circle.  However I've concluded that notwithstanding road surfaces varyimng between fairly clear and polished ice or the latter with a dusting of fresh snow on top most commercial vehicles are not using either chains or studs but seem to manage quite happily with ordinary (winter?) tyres and careful driving, even on very steep gradients.  Smaller vehicles seem to run the whole range from plain tyres to studs or chains but all managing ok and being ultra polite to pedestrians who want to cross the road, especially at road junctions.

 

Have a good day one & all and at least at this time of year we don't get pestered by midges Tony

[Happy Hippo]

Neil,

 

Sit at your desk every morning and for 5 minutes chant:

 

'Days to do are getting few'.

 

Certainly it is a way of making friends and influencing people.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Dry but dull start and 13^oC. There may be some sunny periods but also the chance of heavy showers later.

Another day of spluttering & now developed an annoying tickly cough overnight. It has been suggested that may be to do with the Sahara sand. Also when I took Chris to work at 5.30 there was a horrible smell in the air outside so we'll blame that on North Africa as well.

Daughter Nicki will be here in a moment for a cuppa and a chat and then at midday the supermarket beckons.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[Oldddudders]

Morning all

 

A grey sort of day, and unlikely to improve, albeit the threatened showers haven't quite made it here yet. Builder Jon dropped in for coffee the other day, with his (inherited) Renault Safrane covered in Sahara dust. Since he doesn't live far away, the fact that my two cars are clear of that substance is a bit odd. I'm with Peter - cleaning cars is an occasional pursuit, although I might show willing shortly, as each needs a visit to the garage, and it helps if they arrive clean. There have been dealers in the distant past who washed your car during a service, but even in the dealer network we hadn't seen that here. Now I'm using the local garagiste, no hope.

 

I've been back a week, but a degree of circumspection was necessary before I put together my travelogue. That milestone has now effectively passed, and so I will start later today. Bring yer knitting - it's that good!

 

Malaria is a horrid sounding disease, and I hope the sufferer gets truly well now and long-term. These illnesses that just return when you are a bit low sound quite threatening.

 

Don Bradley - I echo the calls for more care with your magic button. As you've managed to get though so much of life with a limb missing, it would be a pity to fall and damage the remaining arm, at best. But it could be a lot worse than that, so get that string round your neck 24/7!

 

And everyone else take care out there, too, please.

[Coombe Barton]

Grey and just chillin'

 

The weather's similar

 

After yesterday's assault on a a pair of bogies I bought four years ago, whether to continue with the auto trailer they're supposed to fit on, continue with a 14xx chassis or clear up the cr@p that I've distributed over the lounge.

 

Common sense says the last should be the option.

[shortliner]

Pre-retirement course is fully booked....typical.  I presume too many people are deserting a sinking ship!  Offered me one in September - after I have retired...words fail me, I need Andrew's inspirational terms here.... ####wombles.

 

As you will already BE retired, perhaps you should offer to go back at an inflated consultanty price and run the course, having the immediateup-to-date local knowledge that will be required

Edited April 3, 2014 by shortliner

[Barry O]

Smog/dust over London made the news here today.

 

Several king prawns were consumed for tea..complete with a bottle of Verve Cliquote (mothers day present from youngest Herbert)..now watching woman's T20 semi final and about to have a well deserved cup of tea...

[AndyB]

Thinking on the + side, anyone wanting to re-livery their Class 52 only has to put it outside overnight! 

[DDolfelin]

I didn't expect all this envy of my Sahara Sand mentioned a few days ago.

Now everyone wants some.

Hopefully we won't get the smog effect here but there is a full 8 oktas here today.

[Debs.]

 

.........circumspection.........

 

That`s when the Rabbi has an initial look!

[New Haven Neil]

Almost lunchtime, rain not arrived yet.

 

Also agree for Don to be more careful, falls can be so dangerous when, er, you have a few miles on the clock.

[AndrewC]

ooooohhhhhmmmmmm. peace, tranquillity, yadda yadda yadda.

 

Neil, is it true your brain has already started retirement but your body had to go through the motions for a few more weeks?

 

 

For those where winter hasn't released its icy grip, a bit of Canadian Humour, eh!

 

[Oldddudders]

So now we know - Andrew is just representing racial stereotypes in his brill humour!

 

In an unusual event, gauge and standards wars appear to have broken out among Trisonic Pete's adherents in the US HO etc area of the Forum. Clods are being hurled. Moderation may be needed. "Can you tell the difference between 16.2mm and 16.5mm?" asks someone. Crikey.

[Coombe Barton]

Just spent a very good hour perusing (well, looking at the pix, actually) of the latest two books to land on the mat - Princetown Branch and Kingsbridge Branch.

 

It's helping with the recovery.

[New Haven Neil]

 

 

Neil, is it true your brain has already started retirement but your body had to go through the motions for a few more weeks?

 

Yes, although if you know the origin of 'going through the motions' it is strangely appropriate.....picking out the gold leaf from the rich folks doings......as basically I have been sorting other peoples cr*p out.......which I have been doing for 9 years in this role!

[AndyB]

"Can you tell the difference between 16.2mm and 16.5mm?" asks someone. Crikey.

 

I once went to Windsor race course to watch the gee-gees. 

Admittance to the Bronze ring was £5, admittance to the Silver ring was £10. 

"What's the difference?", I asked the bloke selling tickets.

"£5" was the reply. 

Edited April 3, 2014 by AndyB

[Tony_S]

I once went to Windsor race course to watch the gee-gees. 

Admittance to the Bronze ring was £5, admittance to the Silver ring was £10. 

"What's the difference?", I asked the bloke selling tickets.

"£5" was the reply. 

When an airline passenger enquired what (in the USSR era)  the first class seats at the front of the aircraft were called in Russian they were told "there is no class system in USSR, you just pay more".

Edited April 3, 2014 by Tony_S