Early Risers.

[Shedman5]

Morning, some catching up to do as missed last 2 days, have been  busy sorting probate out for my late fil amongst other things, done and granted now so that is crossed off the list.

 

Forecast to be sunny today, we will see as cloudy at the moment.

Not sure what the plans are for us today yet, but whatever your doing have a great day.

[NGT6 1315]

Think I forgot posting this:

 

[Smiffy2]

Ugh.

 

Really bad night, and a lot of pain in my foot and leg. Which is bad enough by itself, but I have to go (3-line whip) to a house warming party today. I got out of a gallery thingy last night, but this I have to do. 

 

Looks like a visit to Woking is out of the question, too. But I hope those that can go have a good time.

 

What's worrying me is that we are committed to take Grandson #2 to see his specialist on Wednesday (he's 9 months, and had a very difficult birth and there are serious after effects) at Peckham at 9am, then take him to his nursery in Waterloo. For me, walking/public transport is out of the question, and Carshalton-Bermondsey-Peckham-Waterloo isn't a feasible drive, so I'm planning to get child-seat equipped cabs. No idea how I do that...

 

Sorry to post a downer, but unfortunately not all days are good. And I am very aware that some others have a far worse hand to play than mine.

 

Have a great weekend, all.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Smiffy2

[BoD]

Morning all

 

Like quite a few these days I haven't really had time to pop in and keep up to date. Perhaps when I join the ranks of Early retirees rather than early risers.......

So all the usualls where appropriate.

 

I do wish the Scots had voted yes.

Britain's average rainfall would have fallen by 20cm per year and the average temp gone up by about 5C. I could have done with a bit better weather this morning.

[Oldddudders]

Morning all

 

There are times when I read ERs and realise just how lucky I am - at nearly 66 - to have reasonable health and fitness. Smiffy's latest missive indicates just how challenging things can be. You are right, Dick, others may have it worse, but on the day life can be pretty miserable, I'm sure. Tomorrow, of course, my luck may change, but in the meantime I wish comfort for all those suffering with conditions and finding themselves as NHS pin-cushions.

 

My GP retires - a year late - this month. She is slightly older than me, and there is no replacement likely. No doubt I can find another doctor somewhere fairly close, although he/she will be more than 3 km away, that's certain. Mind you, there was a note in one of the regular bulletins we get about life here saying that the average age of GPs hereabouts is very high. But my immediate concern was my flu-jab, which serves me well due to my tendency towards asthma. No problem! In the post arrived a voucher for the chemist, another for the nurse who administers the injection. And all paid for ultimately by the UK NHS.

 

Some weeks ago I borrowed Sheena's brush-cutter. Worked really well, but I didn't make much use because Sherry arrived and other priorities took over! I have a cheap one from some years back, but it suffers terrible vibrations and so does the operator! Did that trigger my vertigo, maybe? Anyway, yesterday I bit the bullet and bought a pukka Stihl version. It seems to be a bargain, too, with a harness, safety specs, both strimmer and blade heads - and at a price rather less than some UK sellers offer, even though you still have to collect from their shop. My usual supplier - and a full demo meaning it's already full of fuel, too. If  I cut the ditch now it should stay quite short for the Winter.

 

Alison is now frantically cleaning her house before all the furniture gets brought back, so I've lent her my Dyson. When she brings it back she can use it here!

 

Lovely morning, and all the talk of storms over recent days has been false. We may suffer later!

 

Hope your weekend is as good as you expect!

[skipepsi]

Morning all, weather is gloomy again kittens had a very active night and the money has run out before payday. However there is food in the freezer and the tin cupboard has hidden treasures.....  I have been reading Clive James book of Points of View scripts he has such a polished and refined use of english that he communicates exactly what he wants to say, shame he won't be around much longer.  

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Weather looks good enough to resume in the front garden but that will have to follow a veterinary visit for Sammy who has developed a poorly eye.  And the NHS do seem to be into pin-cushion jobs or simply trying to keep Dracula's daughters employed as they're also having me in at 4 weekly intervals for INR testing - maybe they've got some budget to spend and they're trying to prove how much they need it?

 

Weather looks cloudy again and we can but hope the rain holds of so we can get on with teh geotex etc.

 

Have a good start to the weekend folks. 

[Purley Oaks]

Morning all

 

Another misty day here in the Scottish capital in more ways than one. We are where we are.

 

I voted Yes on Thursday, not because I'm SNP, but because I've always believed in a written constitution that sets out the state's and citizens' respective rights and responsibilities (geeky, I know). I voted Yes with a slightly heavy heart because I grew up as part of the UK. The whole campaign here on both sides was truly astonishing, embracing so many of us, and culminating in an 85% turnout on the day.

 

The Better Together campaign won the vote and now the whole UK is to get a written constitution so I'm happy - but wonder how the rest of the UK feels not having voted about a written constitution.

 

A good place to start may be the German Basic Law (which the British wrote after 1945) because Germany has a good federal system. But we'll see. Perhaps 1216 025 or Robert can let us know how well it works...

 

Apologies for being political and hope I haven't upset anyone too much

 

As I said, we are where we are.

 

Mal

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Mornin' Mal,

 

....there was discontent before the Scottish question and there will be discontent afterwards...just slightly different whinges, thats all. There are positives to pull out of all changes....for those who want to look for them.

 

Onwards into the new world together!

 

Dave

Edited September 20, 2014 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

[skipepsi]

Long ago a Scottish friend said anyone who wants to be a politician should be barred from office forever......

[Oldddudders]

Long ago a Scottish friend said anyone who wants to be a politician should be barred from office forever......

As I've said before - less than 0.1% of us are actually active in politics, beyond casting our vote, that is. So that means those who are, and who seek to represent us, are different from 99.9% of the population. So why would we trust them? Smiffy will have a view!

 

Seriously, of course, I've no better idea than democracy, which is the least-worst option by quite some margin! And Scots can certainly be proud that as a nation they rallied to the cause on both sides, with magnificent turnouts everywhere. If general Elections got that level of interest, I wonder how the political map of the UK might change?

[gordon s]

Your comment on the Magna Carta, Pete, reminded me of a meeting with some Americans a few years back.  They came over on a business deal, so I took them to Windsor for the evening.  Having seen the castle, we went over the river to Eton and into a restaurant for dinner.  The menu's came out and the front page told them about the history of the restaurant.  Suddenly they burst out laughing and when asked, they were amazed that the restaurant we were sitting in opened two hundred years before America was discovered….:-)

 

Talk got round to the Magna Carta and Runnymede, so I offered to take them there in the morning.  We came down the road and parked in the lay by.  Looking quizzical, they wondered what was going on.  "We're here' I said.  "Where"?  "Over there in the middle of that field".  As it was around 09.30, the work traffic had subsided and no one was around.

 

They couldn't believe that such an important historical site was just in the middle of the field.  No 6 lane highway, no amusement park, no hot dog stalls, nothing….:-)

 

I have to admit at being proud of being English at that point and the realisation we take our history for granted.  It's all around us and we don't need commercialisation to take in the significance….

[The Stationmaster]

Long ago a Scottish friend said anyone who wants to be a politician should be barred from office forever......

That is exactly it I think Mick - they've all become 'professional (sic) politicians' and are so far removed from reality of everyday life that the whole lot of 'em live in their own little world mixing outside politics with a fairly small clique of folk who are, in many cases, equally divorced from real life.  Probably why there was a resounding 'No' from Orkney as they are in effect as remote from the Edinburgh MSP 'in' scene as they are from London's.

 

The problem is how do we resolve the distance that has developed between ordinary folk and those who allegedly represent them?  We live in a diverse country (the UK) with many regional differences but in effect these cover geographically small areas and we don't want to impose umpteen layers of jobs for the boys bureaucrats.  For example there is already a South West Regional Assembly which includes totally different areas such as Bristol and Bodmin Moor but which produces policy papers and so on (and commissions consultants work - I have an ageing tee-shirt in that respect) but its representative members are selected by nomination and are not voted in or out.  

 

The whole system of governance is overblown and too expensive but will those on that gravy train really be prepared to send some of it to a bureaucratic equivalent of Dai Woodham's scrap yard? (and I chose that comparison on purpose)

[Two_sugars]

I can't think of any politician i would like to see restored and run on a preserverd line . . . . Although I can think of a few that should have been RunOVER on the main line. . . .

 

Dull, Damp, Deary, . . . that's the weather, folks, Not me. . .

[Jock67B]

Morning all,

Thunder storms lurking around 'far from sunny Clacton' this morning! No post last night as I fell asleep - exhausted from staying up late and rising early due to the Scottish referendum. Joanna couldn't sleep and of course, had to inform me at intervals. Apparently she was worried that, had it been a 'Yes' vote, she would have woken up next to a foreigner!

Dick, terribly sorry to hear about your discomfort - anything that prevents you leading a 'normal' life is SERIOUS in my book. Is it the gout again? If so, I urge you to discuss 'Allopurinol' with your GP. It has worked for me - no recurrence for over 25yrs ! Forgive me if I've got the wrong end of the stick but if It helps........

Tony-S, suppose it's nice to know that at least they care for you. PhilJW and you made me laugh with the 'pin-cushion' analogy. I obviously have monthly (at least!) blood tests and often wonder how long the veins in my arms can put up with it!

Pete(Trisonic), only ever had images of the U.S. unions from the movies and it was interesting to hear how strong they are today. Seems like there is even more interference from above than the government manage here. Having said that, law changes and changes in our society in general appear to have emasculated the movement in recent years.

Ian, noticed that my GP's surgery are now advertising flu jabs - when I visited yesterday, they had lines of bunting round the walls like Christmas decorations! Guess they must have a fridge full of the stuff. Good luck with finding a replacement GP, we are incredibly lucky to have one who has also become a family friend, even though I sold him a car nearly 30 years ago when he first moved to the area and several since! One of the luckier aspects of chemo treatment is that they always make sure you get such injections in view of your impaired immune system! Sounds like you have become a convert to the 'Stihl' brand. Son in law's brother works for the NRA who have recently equipped him with several tools from that stable and he absolutely loves them!

Bod, don't whatever you do, imagine that retirement is going to give you more free time - both Joanna and I often wonder how we ever had time to fit in work!

Jamie, sounds like you are having a wonderful trip - hope the rest of it lives up to expectation.

Tomorrow in 1962 saw the first broadcast of University Challenge, Joanna and I are still addicted to it now! Off to set the Sky+ box up for F1 in Singapore and British Superbikes at Assen in Holland!

Kind regards,

Jock.

Edited, got the date for Uni wrong! J.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Jock67B

[jamie92208]

Your comment on the Magna Carta, Pete, reminded me of a meeting with some Americans a few years back.  They came over on a business deal, so I took them to Windsor for the evening.  Having seen the castle, we went over the river to Eton and into a restaurant for dinner.  The menu's came out and the front page told them about the history of the restaurant.  Suddenly they burst out laughing and when asked, they were amazed that the restaurant we were sitting in opened two hundred years before America was discovered….:-)

 

Talk got round to the Magna Carta and Runnymede, so I offered to take them there in the morning.  We came down the road and parked in the lay by.  Looking quizzical, they wondered what was going on.  "We're here' I said.  "Where"?  "Over there in the middle of that field".  As it was around 09.30, the work traffic had subsided and no one was around.

 

They couldn't believe that such an important historical site was just in the middle of the field.  No 6 lane highway, no amusement park, no hot dog stalls, nothing….:-)

 

I have to admit at being proud of being English at that point and the realisation we take our history for granted.  It's all around us and we don't need commercialisation to take in the significance….

Yes we do forgtsometimes howmuch history is all around us in the UK.  I grew up in a village with a 900 year old chrch and a 450 year old grammar school and took them for granted.   When I spent some timein El Salvador they ahd no idea that we had had our share of Civil Wars and tht our curent system of peaceful changes of government had taken over 700 years to evolve.   They were particularly interested in the NI peace process such that one of the family I stayed with came over and spent a year working in a reconciliation community in NI.

 

Anyway on a more light haearted note I once went into the Moorcock Inn at Garsdale with an old aunt and as I paid for the lunch I asked the barmaid how old it was.  Her reply was "It is mentioned in the Doomsday Book.".  I ws fair gobsmacked as they say oop north.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

I can't think of any politician i would like to see restored and run on a preserverd line . . . . Although I can think of a few that should have been RunOVER on the main line. . . .

 

Dull, Damp, Deary, . . . that's the weather, folks, Not me. . .

Perhaps they should all be left to rust as a warning to others, with certain motion parts torched off.

 

Jamie

[Jock67B]

When the last politician is strangled with the guts of the last priest, will we have peace on earth...................?

Can't remember who said that, but I just did as I think they've got a point!!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[southern42]

Hello from a misty moisty morning in Wales.

 

I'm happy we're still a Union. I'll leave it at that.    

So here's hoping it will be good for all of us.

 

 

 

Hope your day goes well.

 

Polly

[trisonic]

Your comment on the Magna Carta, Pete, reminded me of a meeting with some Americans a few years back.  They came over on a business deal, so I took them to Windsor for the evening.  Having seen the castle, we went over the river to Eton and into a restaurant for dinner.  The menu's came out and the front page told them about the history of the restaurant.  Suddenly they burst out laughing and when asked, they were amazed that the restaurant we were sitting in opened two hundred years before America was discovered….:-)

 

Talk got round to the Magna Carta and Runnymede, so I offered to take them there in the morning.  We came down the road and parked in the lay by.  Looking quizzical, they wondered what was going on.  "We're here' I said.  "Where"?  "Over there in the middle of that field".  As it was around 09.30, the work traffic had subsided and no one was around.

 

They couldn't believe that such an important historical site was just in the middle of the field.  No 6 lane highway, no amusement park, no hot dog stalls, nothing….:-)

 

I have to admit at being proud of being English at that point and the realisation we take our history for granted.  It's all around us and we don't need commercialisation to take in the significance….

Big fan of Magna Carta myself (even if it is extremely limited in a modern interpretation apart from Habeus Corpus;  Baz, I think it was, cleaned up the wording somewhat).

 

Tony pointed out to me the reliance on EU’s equivalent - which seems to have been picked apart by various Governments in Europe  depending on their will.

 

I’m a bit lost on the current views regarding a referendum in the UK on the EU but if the EU is to disappear (or even if it doesn’t)  some kind of modern British Bill of Rights/ Constitution  may be very popular, indeed - if the point behind it is fully understood.

 

Best, Pete.

[NGT6 1315]

 

A good place to start may be the German Basic Law (which the British wrote after 1945) because Germany has a good federal system. But we'll see. Perhaps 1216 025 or Robert can let us know how well it works...

 

 

I, too, think that a written constitution (whatever it may be called) is a must for any nation. As to the German Basic Law, let me just say that I suppose there are good and bad points about it. For example, I do doubt that each of the sixteen states having essentially its own education system is really for the best of the matter. That kind of structure might do when you have just four states, if we define England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as such, but not with a larger number. But that's really just some quick thoughts which came to my mind in response to your comments, Mal.

[Sidecar Racer]

 

 

They couldn't believe that such an important historical site was just in the middle of the field.  No 6 lane highway, no amusement park, no hot dog stalls, nothing….:-)

 

 

 

 

 

 You could have taken them to Westonzoyland to admire the memorial to the

Battle off Sedgemoor . The last battle to be fought on English soil .

 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sedgemoor#mediaviewer/File:Battle_of_Sedgemoor_Memorial.jpg

 

The small grey splodge by the two trees is the memorial . Zoom out to see just how remote it is .

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.116561,-2.9283234,332m/data=!3m1!1e3

[petethemole]

I tend to sleep in a bit at weekends but today managed to hear almost all of Sounds of the Sixties. I put it on via Sky on a big TV with fairly good speakers, which makes quite a difference compared with hearing the tracks on a transistor radio from pirate stations, or even the BBC now.

 

The garden green space at the back has been taken over by spiders. I can't get from one end to the other without trashing a web. As the washing needs hanging out some of them are going to get a shock.  

 

Today's choice is between the Eurotrack show across town and Boxtrolls at the cinema. Whichever doesn't happen today will happen tomorrow. Eurotrack will be followed by a visit to the Waterloo Arms.

 

I must go and apologise to the spiders. Have a good day.

 

Pete

[Simon G]

Pleasant morning here today.  Shopping done and now on decorating around a recently installed new front door.  SWMBO has gone out, so am playing Deep Purple rather loud, as I haven't heard any for a while!  Next on to to-do list is some pointing on the front of the house.  It faces due west and does get a real hammering from the winter weather, so some repair work needed before the weather deteriorates.

[trisonic]

Duh, Duh, Duuuhh...... Did you know that many Guitar Stores put up signs banning the playing of “Smoke on the Water?

 

Somehow I don’t think we are going to get good “Fall” colors this year. A lot of my trees are getting brown leaves already due to the lack of rain coupled with the infestation of new 17 year Cicada’s last year. Further north in Vermont the picture looks better as they had a lot more rain up there.

 

Best, Pete.