Early Risers.

[Jock67B]

Evening all,

Stayed over at daughters last night and got back in time for a medical appointment this afternoon! Haven't had a chance to read through yet but happened to notice a reference to Sherry and Ian's change in circumstances in Trev's post above, so I just had to look back. Wow, I'm really very pleased and Stewart said it all in his post immediately following Sherry's! I am joining the completely delighted team! Brilliant news you two, keep us updated on developments.

Apologies to everyone else if I've missed anything important but I'll try to catch up tomorrow and trot out some more of my drivel!

Going to sleep happy now, after raising the nightcap glass to our two resident lovebirds,

Kind regards,

Jock.

G'night Pete!

[edcayton]

Interesting piece about Grand Juries on the wireless yesterday. Apparently the only people present are the prosecutor and the jury, plus witnesses only when testifying.  The whole thing being held in secret.  The conclusion was that if a Grand Jury did not call for a trial it was because the prosecution didn't really want one.  I'd be interested in our US friends view of this.

 

Ed

[Barry O]

Its dark

Its cold

But it's Saturday!

Have a great day today!

Baz

[NGT6 1315]

Morning all...

 

Lazing it this a.m., but hey, it's Saturday, after all! I do need to at least begin sketching out my lesson for Tuesday, and as one of the items I put up at the top of my list of goals for my return to work I'll experiment with time saving techniques for preparing lessons. In fact, I'd like to have a go at hand-writing such preparations, contrary to what I've been doing up until now. Many colleagues I've been talking to say this best helps them remember what they were planning to do as soon as the lesson is in progress!

 

I'll need to do something about my pillow, too, as I keep waking up with neck aches… 

[Ohmisterporter]

Morning all. An early start for me today and wouldn't you know it the car door was frozen shut. The door unlocked alright but the door was frozen to the rubber seal. I didn't want to risk damaging it by heaving on the door so had to apply gentle pressure until it opened. Why do these things happen when you are in a hurry to get to work? Have a good day and keep warm.

[roundhouse]

Even down here in Surrey the ice was so thick that I couldn't scrape it off the windscreen.

 

Luckily I had allowed enough time to go and pick up a parcel from Hattons at our sorting office then next door to Redhill station to photo Tangmere passing through ECS to Three Bridges where the excursion starts . It's heading via Hove to Bath and Bristol.

A little dark for stills but luckily with the ZiSZo set at 3200 and shutter at 125 they appear to have come out OK but my plan to video it with my phone in my other hand went wrong as it had come out of video mode!!

 

As the sun is now just coming up its looking like a very nice clear sky.

 

Edit

Just passed over the Brighton mainline on M23.. A large plume of smoke hanging over the motorway and mainline where Tangmere went through a few minutes ago.

 

Ian

Edited December 6, 2014 by roundhouse

[Killybegs]

Good morning from a balmy Donegal, no ice, indeed it is 8 deg C outside. Still dark, the promised gales are building and there is a smattering of rain. Hopefully it will be dry when we head out to the beach once I finish here. Steph is off up to the North East of the county today to visit a friend and, while up there, nip across the border to stock up on dog and bird food as it's much cheaper (provided you have £sterling!) I'm sure I will have a list of jobs to do but, hopefully, will find time for a bit of modelling. I certainly don't think it's going to be a day for garden maintenance!

 

Enjoy your weekend and, for those of you travelling, go carefully.

[Shedman5]

Morning, dry and frosty here, further work on the layout planned this afternoon, fire on, radio on, trains whizzing around how splendid an afternoon is that !

 

Quick shopping trip first which is only into the village so its looks like being a good day.

 

Enjoy yours

 

Alan

[Donw]

Cracking mornin here. No sign of frost outside althouh there may be something up on the hills quite nippy though. Cannot be too cold as Monty is laid on the patio by the conservatory door. He does have a thick coat.

It is Dunster by Candlelight and I have agrred to help out with the club layout which is on display in the tithe barn.

 

HAve a good weekend.

Don

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Mornin' all,

 

Safer by some measure to have stayed in the house this morning but the lure of a cloudless sunrise in crisp, icy conditions won the day. Having regular routes means knowing where water sits or crosses the road surface....meaning that special care can be taken there and some measure of safe passage be assured. Hardly a soul around....it being a Saturday morning. Watching the avian aerobatics over the reservoir through the orange tinted mist rising off the icy waters was reward for the early ride in itself. However, 5 mins sitting still in those temperatures and suddenly the bodily warmth generated by the endeavors of the return ride seems very welcome.

 

Safely back for breakfast.

 

Feathered friends fed/watered.

 

Second Christmas meal of the season to look forward to, with more friends arriving later.

 

Enjoy what you do

 

Dave 

Edited December 6, 2014 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

[Coombe Barton]

White over here - dogs out and in very quickly, then their breakfast and curled up on the sofa.

 

Plans for today - excavating in preparation for Christmas. 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all, heavy frost this morning so I'm not venturing out before lunch.

[Oldddudders]

Morning all

 

The weather has turned a corner, so it was frosty at 7.30, and the car needed de-icing. With only the first hints of daylight I wasn't prepared to walk, as the road down to Sheena's is pretty lousy with potholes and ruts. The dogs are always delighted to see me, natch - but really they live in dismal circs. There is no heating whatever, and one of the windows isn't even fully closed, being still in the middle of restoration, albeit the shutters are closed on that one. Sheena leads a minimalist life, having been a soldier, and lived in a Nigerian village for some years. Yes, the dogs have soft beds to lie on, but even so. When we had dogs they came indoors overnight in colder seasons, to recharge their batteries. At least I can make a big fuss of them.

 

The MiL chat is due at midday. It also occurs to me that as I leave on Tuesday morning for Blighty, I'd better tidy up a bit, as on my return a week later it will be with Sherry in her car. I need to demonstrate some standards!

 

Hope your weekend goes well.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Clear sky, sunny, frosty here. I think it is now cold enough to get the tyres changed on the Fiesta so after Aditi returns from whatever she needs the car for I will take it to the tyre emporium and sit there with a book while they fit the winter tyre set.

Tony

[Purley Oaks]

Morning all

 

A bit late but many congrats to Ian and Sherry - great to hear. Oddly enough, sank a few beers with my uni dissertation supervisor (long story, late starter) on Wednesday - he's just had a whirlwind romance and became engaged last weekend in Istanbul (where else?), so a good week.

 

A little blue sky here now and quite chilly. Central heating on for first time this winter last night.

 

Have a good weekend all

 

Mal

[travelintrev]

Morning all,  

 

Did pop in earlier - but a series of  work panics got in the way - but at least I got a couple of pancakes for my breakfast.  No frost here (and I'd be really worried if there was!)  When the temperature drops (rarely) below 20C  the locals can be seen in thick coats jumpers...

 

Not sure what the rest of my day is going to bring,

 

whatever yours brings, may it go well.

 

Trev. 

[Ashcombe]

Thank you to everyone for the good wishes and the hearts, likes, etc. People on ER's are so good at being supportive in good and sad times. Finalising my divorce has come at a good time as we can now make more definite plans for (what won't be!) the big day!The Register Office at Cockington Manor only seats 12 but there is plenty of space at "The Drum" where we hope to have a celebration of some kind. I've emailed both establishments (during the night when I couldn't sleep!) to enquire about bookings.

 

Last night was a sort of preview performance of "Tom's Midnight Garden", attended by local schoolchildren at a much reduced price. They were quietly enthralled but very vocal with their positive comments at the end. Tonight sees the official opening of a week long run; I'm not in this one but I see from the programme that I'm listed as Assistant Director which I suppose sounds better than general gopher! Actually, I've enjoyed the preparation, even spending an afternoon converting a pair of ankle boots into "skates"!! Luckily, they aren't worn, only handled on stage, so cardboard, gaffer tape and silver, sticky paper did the trick!

 

A lovely, bright morning here so I hope yours is too!

[BoD]

Morning all.

 

Mock exam papers to mark today.

I have also been instructed to find a post office and post a package.

I may be gone some time.

[Smiffy2]

A fine frosty morning, Julie is scraping her car as I type...

 

The funeral went very well yesterday, a proper celebration of a well-spent life. It was Humanist, and the house had been decorated with pictures and mementoes of Paul and Donna's life together. Unfortunately the drive back was from hell...

 

Julie's out all day at the Craft Gallery, so I'm tidying this morning and meeting the roofer this afternoon, to re-do our extension, which is Julie's workshop. What an exciting life!

 

I may have a 'proper' breakfast!

 

Great congratulations to Ian and Sherry - as yesterday re-emphasised for me, you only get one go at this, and you don't hesitate on the chance to make yourself, and others, happy. And the same wish to everybody else, too.

[Oldddudders]

 

Great congratulations to Ian and Sherry - as yesterday re-emphasised for me, you only get one go at this, and you don't hesitate on the chance to make yourself, and others, happy. And the same wish to everybody else, too.

Thanks Dick. You have the unique distinction among ERs of having "known" Deb in virtual terms, and therefore understand what a bright and powerful person she was. Fortunately, Sherry and I have been working on this relationship for a decade now, so I have no fears that there are unknowns here - apart from the future that none of us can see, of course. I'd be mad not to take this lovely opportunity while I can!

[skipepsi]

Morning all, frosty out there, the mirrors on the Citroen have stopped moving when the car is unlocked so Monday 15th I can take it to the local dealer for them to have a look! Bight sunshine outside and dry so not a lot to complain about really weather wise cold dry sunny days being much preferred over wet days. An outing to Connahs quay tomorrow to pick up a small snake I don't think I have been to Deeside since I went with the Liverpool Poly bike club 30 years ago.

[Donw]

Dogs often have quite thick coats and then cold doesn't seem to bother them but even more amazing when we kept Ducks and Geese was to see their bare feet in water icing over or trudging trough snow when you or I would be in danger of frostbite.

Don

[Killybegs]

Although it's now up to 9 deg C here, the forecast is for snow tonight. Apparently they had a light dusting 'up country' yesterday. We had the beach to ourselves, no other idiots venturing out in the rain and wind.

 

Our dogs don't seem to feel the cold at all, the first thing they do is dash into the sea even at this time of the year. I think Bridie secretly wishes she was a yellow lab as she insists on rolling in the sand when she comes out of the water! They have beds in the garage and are always happy to go there after their last night walk. Steph does twist my arm to let them stay in if it's very, very cold!

 

After all the talk about shrinking gums with the passing years and food consequently getting stuck in one's teeth, here's another one. I have found in the past few years that my body generates far more heat during even moderate exercise than it used to when I was younger. I can put on a lightweight Goretex jacket to go outside for a walk when it may be 15 deg cooler than inside and within five minutes I am roasting. I have now taken to removing a layer before going out. Has anyone else noticed this strange phenomena? Apologies to our younger ER's for boring them with such a mundane subject!

[Oldddudders]

After all the talk about shrinking gums with the passing years and food consequently getting stuck in one's teeth, here's another one. I have found in the past few years that my body generates far more heat during even moderate exercise than it used to when I was younger. I can put on a lightweight Goretex jacket to go outside for a walk when it may be 15 deg cooler than inside and within five minutes I am roasting. I have now taken to removing a layer before going out. Has anyone else noticed this strange phenomena? Apologies to our younger ER's for boring them with such a mundane subject!

I have certainly come to recognise that I do need to be sensible in such circs. Dressing for the weather is fine for a stroll or standing about, but if anything remotely physical is required, I'm with you - off come the layers or I'm in dead trouble and exhausted in no time. And I don't seem to see the warning signs until too late -  unless I think about them. Experience is a great teacher here.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Bright & sunny with a good hard frost - proper seasonal weather and nice to look at it if you don't need to go out in it!

 

The Christmas Fayre seem to have had the intended effect with a crowded town centre and some busy shops and very busy eateries - this year there was a much bigger funfair element with a large traditional roundabout and a big wheel, must have been darned cold sitting at the top of that.  Interesting change around that we lost our traditional funfair at the Regatta a good time back but have now acquired one almost in time for Saturnalia.

 

Mick - before you go to the dealers check the menu settings for the mirror and see if the manual operating switch is working as it might just be the door switch; probably telling granny how to suck eggs but it might save a few quid if it is something minor.

 

Have a good day one & all.

 

PS Yes John - if I go out in a bigger, lined,  jacket I am invariably overheating walking back up the hill.  I don't know if it's a 'thermostat' problem due to wear with age or if, as i sometimes think, I've put on too much in the first place because I feel the cold more than I used to when I first go out   But I was fairly comfortable walking about on the open deck area of the ship north of the Arctic Circle back in April although on the other hand I didn't overheat under three layers of clothing when we went dog sledding on a frozen fjord (must be the thermostat then?).

Edited December 6, 2014 by The Stationmaster