Early Risers.

[45156]

Not here yet, but it's almost stopped raining and is brightening.

 

Just stuck my Chris Newman and Maire ni Chasathaigh compilation on the CD player, and decided to get one of my guitars down to play along, and got my clothes covered with dust, so long have they been hanging untouchched.  And once I did try my fingers started to cramp up pretty quickly, so a  bit of practice is indicated at some time - what with all the housework, stained glass, guitar practice needed, this retirement's full of activity.

[AndyB]

So, in my continuing attempt to be slowest on the uptake and last with the latest groovy thing....some underground signs for your delectation.

[roundhouse]

None taken.   I wouldn't drive mine in this weather!

  

BTW, where are you headed? There's trouble anti-clockwise near Leatherhead? 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-30049739

 

Or as the Daily Mail might have it: "Foreign Rain causes havoc on World's Worst Motorway causing house prices in Surrey to fall by a SHOCKING 11%."

 

We joined at junction 8 heading clockwise. Santa Barbara is being set up tonight at the New Aston show so a looong drive today. There was an accident just before junction 9 that held us up a while but nothing like the traffic going the other way. Loads of cars on the hard shoulder with punctures or damaged suspension due to the overnight roadworks being defective.

 

Just passed some one driving and texting. A Mercedes this time.

 

Don't worry I am not typing and driving as my other half is behind the wheel at the moment

[trisonic]

So, in my continuing attempt to be slowest on the uptake and last with the latest groovy thing....some underground signs for your delectation.

Never trust people who blow their own trumpet...............

That Miles was a real sod.

 

Best, Pete.

[45156]

Same applies here now, before if I won the lottery it would have been a fast Audi now it would have to be a Mercedes....

Just a motor that's easy to drive, with controls that suit me and are not too confusing.  When I was on business once, I hired a Merc (it should have been a top of the range Mondeo, but I was entitled to a free upgrade to an Audi, but the one that was booked to me had just been bent by the previous renter, so I got a Merc, and I hated every minute of driving it - too big, too cumbersome, and too many buttons and knobs - spent the whole trip from Edinburgh down the A1 to Durham with my knees under the steering wheel as I couldn't find the seat adjustment controls! (there was no user guide in the vehicle of course).  The fuel consumption was pretty poor too - about 50% more to tank up than the Audi would have been for the same run.

 

Best car I ever had, by a country mile was a VW Golf GTI - went like sh!t off a shovel, and every control had a meaning, and was well placed - and not as thirsty as I had imagined - reliable, and I still miss it now, but it went when the job went West.  If I won the lottery, a Mk2 GTI in Tornado Red and with as few miles on the clock as possible would be near the top of my wish list even now.

[The Lurker]

What a wonderful day to be driving. Heavy rain loading the layoit and on M25.

 

Two accidents and after 1 hour 45 after leaving home we are stationary just North of the M25/M1.

Think that they have just closed all lanes as no movement for some time.

 

 

Only 4 more hours to go to get to Washington Tyne and Wear!!

When we go to the in-laws in Washington from SE London we always use M11/A14/A1, although when there were roadworks round the Durham stretch of the A1 we took a scenic route round York and via Middlesbrough.

 

Not much use to you now though!

 

Mind you, I suppose with Washington as a destination perhaps you want to take your time!

[Tony_S]

Still raining here. No Audis were involved in the two collisions I avoided yesterday. I suppose as I have a black 4x4 it would have been my fault!

Matthew phoned last night and half the conversation was about buying a new computer and the rest about what he was studying. He was just off to join some people on his course who had organised a support group for management students with no accountancy knowledge/experience.

Tony

[Barry O]

back from a very wet trip to the Accountants but..... woohoo! Result on its way!

 

Happy Baz

 

PS hope that is Washington CD not Washington DC!!

Edited November 14, 2014 by Barry O

[45156]

When we go to the in-laws in Washington from SE London we always use M11/A14/A1,

I always used that route to get from Surrey to the North East, or even to Scotland, as I couldn't stand the M1 at all, and it appears to be no better nowadays.  An alternative was the M40/M42/M6, or the M40/M42/M5 - both of these tend to get snarled up nowadays, though.  I avoid motorways whenever I can, as my experiences when driving as part of my job were never good.  One of the best avoiding routes to/from the North West is to come off and go up the A41/A49 to Warrington - lots of stopover places including some decent cafes, cheaper petrol, and for the non-driver, some good pubs too. 

[Barry O]

Just watch out as the A1 north of the Harrogate turn off is solid road works up to the turn off for Shildon

 

Baz

[Oldddudders]

I always used that route to get from Surrey to the North East, or even to Scotland,

Ditto from Kent, even before the M25, and, if picking up FiL from Balham, straight through the City when congestion was a little less than now, or at weekends, of course.

[laurenceb]

Good to have some good news from Jock, just what Ineeded after the last week.

Afternoon all

Edited November 14, 2014 by laurenceb

[travelintrev]

Well as can be seen from the attached photos it's wasn't raining in this part of North Somerset this morning when I took the ex's 2 monthold puppy for a 4 k walk. (I'm knackrd - puppy isn't!)  Temps currently 13c & Suns still shining!  (Is it really November?).

 

 

 

 

[45156]

I am pleased to be able to report that we now have blue sky and the washing is out on the line, (hopefully) drying in a stiffish breeze.

 

Thanks, John and Neil for sending this our way - it arrived about half an hour ago, but does not appear to be hanging around too long.

[New Haven Neil]

It's still nice here so you should be OK!  Nice bike ride, new seat declared much better for middle aged buttocks, only one woman in a hatchback (non-Audi - I think it was a Kia!) tried to kill me - straight out in front of me at a roundabout...screeeeeech!  Brakes work.

[trisonic]

Last time I drove to Scotland (Glasgow) from Shenfield it was Ongar/Sawbridgeworth/A1/Scotch Corner /then breakfast at Troutbeck/Lockerbie etc.

 

It was a very long time ago..........

 

Best, Pete.

[roundhouse]

Just watch out as the A1 north of the Harrogate turn off is solid road works up to the turn off for Shildon

 

Baz

Yes quite some miles of it which I have just driven through but it was moving at the max speed of 50mph.

 

Now at hotel waiting for the rest of our crew then we will head to the show to set up.

 

After that some well earned beers in a brew pub a couple of miles from here (by taxi).

[Ian Abel]

Welcome POETS day!

 

Lemme see...

i) Warranty replacement HD arrived yesterday, so I can now crack open the desktop server and replace HD then recover/restore all the saved pictures/music etc. - what fun

 

ii) Client I am supposed to do training at in Dec. is now (after I've made ALL travel arrangements - airfares in the US being non-refundable and having a penalty cost for changes, unless you want to pay a kings ransom for a "refundable ticket") considering moving the training UP a week, and was wondering if that would be OK! It is, BUT, they can't decide for sure yet so, just were just checking and will "let me know".... <sigh> Nothing like being able to actually plan what you're doing!

 

iii) Sopranos need a reality check, they're ALL prima donnas, but honestly, unless you're a professional singer (none in our choir are), get over yourself ALREADY - apologies if anyone is offended!!   We were/are to consider doing the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah as one of our Christmas pieces by our choir director, and she asked for a show of hands from those who would like to give it a shot...out of an 80+ person attendance, NOT ONE of the sopranos was prepared to step up to the plate, even though at least 80% of the rest of us were... of course without sopranos it's not going to happen The choir director is going to "think about it", which we take to mean she'll contact some of the prima donnas  whiners and see if she can get them to change their minds... "women eh!!" <ducking>

 

STOP PRESS - Hmm, as I'm writing this, Mrs just got a call from one of the couples who were coming over tonight, to try for the second time for our "60's cocktail party", both are sick <sigh>. Well, the trip to the liquor store for supplies is still on, but not so much pressure time-wise (meaning I can continue to work!!), and Mrs can stop panicing about enough hors doevres as we're now down to one other couple! Maybe we're not destined to have a " '60's cocktail party" after all...

 

Weather-wise (...it's such a  lovely day... - 10 points for knowing the song that phrase is from, and a BONUS point for which version is my all time favourite!!)

woke, to -12 and sunny, at least there's no breeze/wind to give us a much lower wind-chill/real-feel. Could manage -7 today, and then down to -15 overnight, we're getting dangerously near the point where it's negative FAHRENHEIT!!!

 

Carry on with POETS day everyone

Edited November 14, 2014 by Ian Abel

[NGT6 1315]

Grüezi miteinand! The Red-and-Blue Bo'Bo': SBB Cargo Re 421 from Roco

 

[PhilJ W]

Yes it is Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” delivered by Friar Lawrence.

 

How did I know that Jock would definitely know it?

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

Not all that clever Pete - had it rammed in to me for English Lit. 'O' Level!

Like it very much though being an emotional old softie most of the time!!

Kind regards,

Jock.

Edited to correct 'spell-checker' errors!

I did think Shakespeare at first but thought it was a catch so I took a guess at Robbie Burns. Then Jock gave the second line that convinced me that it was Shakespeare and the timbre of the poem put me in mind of 'Romeo and Juliet'. I have never studied Shakespeare, even in school, just picked it up as I went along.

Now who said this:- "I disagree with all that you have said, I think you are completely wrong. But I will defend until death your right to say it." A clue, it was not originally in English.

[Tony_S]

Allegdly Voltaire but I think it may have been someone paraphrasing his beliefs.

Edited November 14, 2014 by Tony_S

[New Haven Neil]

Just been fiddling with....trains!

 

DCC'd a Bachmann A1 I got of the auction site, and used a Bachmann 36-553 decoder, which #ahem# I have cheap access to.  I have used several of these before with no issues, but this one is a stinker.  When slowing down, just before it stops, the loco goes 100mph for a split second.  A trawl around the interweb reveals this to probably be a back emf adjustment issue, but I have never seen this behaviour before.  Looks like a long day of fiddling ahead, I just can't be bothered though, why can't people just make a decoder that works out of the box?  We can land a satellite on an asteroid but not make a decoder that works out of the box in the same (well, not really, the decoders are ESU!) manufacturers locos.  /rant.  Back to Lenz......

[Tony_S]

Back to Romeo and Juliet. I have mentioned this before but for those more recent ERs...

Back in the 1970s I taught at a large comprehensive school in south Essex. As it was on the exam curriculum that year the school play was Romeo and Juliet. The headmaster asked for a copy of the script. He went through the play crossing out any violence or amourous content. He then authorised the head of drama to continue. I was helping with some of the lighting arrangements and asked what he was going to do. He said carry on as originally planned. The head of English said it was safe to do so as the headteacher had never attended a play or concert anyway.

[Tony_S]

Just been fiddling with....trains!

 

DCC'd a Bachmann A1 I got of the auction site, and used a Bachmann 36-553 decoder, which #ahem# I have cheap access to.  I have used several of these before with no issues, but this one is a stinker.  When slowing down, just before it stops, the loco goes 100mph for a split second.  A trawl around the interweb reveals this to probably be a back

...

Just before you start fiddling with CVS it might be worth seeing what happens if you set the bit for DCC only.

Tony

[trisonic]

What a plonker! In the ’70’s too.

Our school was all male and the dramatic society included teachers (all male) - it made for some interesting scenes - more like the original Shakespeare productions, I suppose.

 

Best, Pete.

I’m referring to Post 77205 and NOT Neil!

Edited November 14, 2014 by trisonic