Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

Good morning all.  Today was mental.  We reckoned by 8pm we had carried around three times the normal Wednesday loadings across the network    Office break-up day, first day of school holidays and the final pre-christmas shopping rush saw to that.  Even my 12.14 train into the Palace, normally quite lightly loaded, left its starting point with a standing load and had 30 more stations to serve along the way!  As the sun lowered the alcohol clearly flowed and the Officers in Blue were kept busier than they might have wished also.  Multiple arrests for various offences of disorder.  Another on the train home which was delayed a few minutes while a singularly foul-mouthed and freeloading woman was persuaded to abandon her rail journey in favour of a van with barred windows and flashing lights .....  all part of a day in the life.

 

Tomorrow (Thursday) is Sharon's final day in her current employment after an outstanding 17-year career.  I have the day off and shall drive her in, stay for her farewell lunch and then bring her home.  I have one more shift at the Palace on Friday then four days off.

 

 

Best wishes to all

[shortliner]

Nearly forgot to mention. The two pairs of jeans I ordered arrived yesterday, I heard something being pushed through the letterbox when I was upstairs. I came down to find a card from Hermes saying they were hidden behind a box which they were. A perfect fit but washing is recommended before wear as the dye (navy blue) isn't fast so I will have to be careful not to strink them.

SWMBO  says there shouldn't be a problem with washing - Glad the suggestion came up trumps

[jonny777]

Hello from a bright and breezy Somerset.

 

Mrs Jonny has gone shopping. Good luck to her with that nightmarish venture.

 

I buy everything online, and just slob around waiting for it to arrive. Ocado bring my groceries on a regular basis, and the turkey should be delivered on Friday.

 

Everyone should learn to love ivy. It is one of the most wildlife friendly plants in the country. It flowers in the Autumn when many other plants have already set seed, and provides an excellent nectar source for late season insects and those looking to fuel-up before winter hibernation. It fruits early the following year and provides food when most hedgerow and woodland berries have already been consumed and before the sudden explosion of insects with the onset of warmer weather.

[81C]

Phone call taken today from that great Model Railway Emporium in Alton to say my little tank engine has arrived, I have for the first time purchased a

 Heljan model I hope it's going to be OK or there will be large swear words said!!. 

[TheQ]

 

 

Everyone should learn to love ivy. It is one of the most wildlife friendly plants in the country. It flowers in the Autumn when many other plants have already set seed, and provides an excellent nectar source for late season insects and those looking to fuel-up before winter hibernation. It fruits early the following year and provides food when most hedgerow and woodland berries have already been consumed and before the sudden explosion of insects with the onset of warmer weather.

So friendly to wildlife the mice climb up it and into the house, there is an acre and a half of garden out there with Ivy growing most of the way round that. they can have that, I'll keep destroying it on the house...

[RhBBob]

I went into town for some bits and pieces and stumbled into our little branch of 'Next' where a jumper leaped out at me; I was heading for Holland & Barrett for some wheat bran (don't ask...).  'Next' is like a shop from England, all polite, helpful and smiling assistant.  I at first declined a plastic bag at 5p but then changed my mind; the jumper was £32 after all

 

I came out of there and suddenly realised that H & B was back in the Market Place from whence I had come; needless to say Mrs RhbBob looked unconvinced with the explanation 

Edited December 21, 2016 by RhBBob

[Ian Abel]

Eh up!

 

More "just working" yesterday, but at least manage to finally get some traction/forward movement for the client I've only spent 8 months attempting to help! With luck (lots probably) I may solve their problem today or tomorrow.

 

Having Otis over for the day yesterday proved to be a non-event, both dogs AND Bob managed to waste spend the day mostly sleeping.

Whitney is, it seems, an escape artist, much like Mysti our dog we lost two years ago. We'd hoped that wouldn't be the case. Therefore spent an hour yesterday fixing some areas of fence after she decided to go walkabout

 

The two dogs "contemplating a rest period";

 

After that Jemma furiously wrapping pressies as she leaves today on a 4-day trip, returning Christmas Eve.

Tree suitably finished and her wrapped gifts starting the ever increasing pile; 

 

Jemma also prepared dinner last night, often does especially when she's headed out of town, as she prepares food for her trip anyway, and spends a fair amount of time doing it.

Nice curry, though I doubt up to the standards of Aditi!

 

Decided against driving in to the office today as I overslept and still feeling some after effects of working on the fence, both muscular and still trying to recover from being cold out there!

 

-1 and partly sunny this morning with 3 the forecast high.

 

Carry on with "whatever" you are charged with doing today...

[Horsetan]

[RhBBob]

Fabulous !!

[45156]

Back for a check in after trip to hospital, where I was due at ten, and was told that while my appointment was on their system, my paperwork had not arrived from records - what paper records in this day and age - well yes, it appears so.  File was duly traced to Lab, and my appointment was duly put back an hour to allow file to be walked down from lab to eye department.  So a walk in the rain to the town centre where I got nothing as the shops were heaving.  Back to hospital, and on examinatopn, the operation site was deemed to be healing well, but regrettably, there was no biopsy result yet, but it would be sent to my GP, and if there is a problem, then I will be sent for.

 

Back tomorrow, as I am going to get some logs and light the stove.

[Barry O]

Excellent lunch at a very nice Italian restaurant underneath Leeds City Station. It was OK until a 91 and 225 set rumble over!

 

More parcels wrapped.  A little eyelid resting now required!

 

baz

[RhBBob]

Excellent lunch at a very nice Italian restaurant underneath Leeds City Station. It was OK until a 91 and 225 set rumble over!

 

More parcels wrapped.  A little eyelid resting now required!

 

baz

 

Wow !  Was that Dino's ? I thought it had closed.  I remember eating there many years ago !!  Son and I are back for the match on 2nd January.

 

 

 

Edit for spelling !!

Edited December 21, 2016 by RhBBob

[roundhouse]

Southern really scr***d out of London Bridge tonight.

 

We thought fine as we are going to the pub.

 

Pub very very busy with nowhere to stand so one Xmas ale, luckily Sierra Nevada Celebration then a walk along the Southbank past other very busy boozers but we did stop in the Founders Arms near Balckfirars before catching a Thameslink service which luckily we got seats on where I am now typing this. Train delayed due to a broken down train though. Very common on Thameslink of recent. Apparently we are arriving at Farringdon. Must be a new loop line that I haven't heard of!!

 

Plenty more beer days ahead.

Edited December 21, 2016 by roundhouse

[emt_911]

A thoroughly enjoyable but tiring day catching up with a few people that I only get to see 2 or 3 times a year. My visit to a modelling emporium did happen as well and the purchases from there will be revealed in a few weeks on the layout.

 

I did return home a while ago and had to inspect my eyelids for a long time. No faults were found.

 

Back to work tomorrow which is going to be a complete pain in the ar$e thanks to one job in Birmingham and another near Wokingham. At least the traffic should be lighter but probably more cockwombles on the road.

[Barry O]

Wow !  Was that Dino's ? I thought it had closed.  I remember eating there many years ago !!  Son and I are back for the match on 2nd January.

 

 

 

Edit for spelling !!

No this was livingitaly. It has only been open two or three years. It is right beside the white elephant which is the granary wharfe entrance to Leeds station.

 

Eyelids also checked out OK. Her indoors wants to go to Shimla as she watched a programme on the railway to Shimla tonight.

 

Off for a spot of supper.

 

Baz

[New Haven Neil]

Evening. Mad train buying rush now slowing a little, allowing us to almost catch our breath.  Despite dire warnings on threads around RMWeb about folk not buying the new extortionate priced stock, they are still doing so in droves.  This means I get paid this month.....again.  I like that.  Mrs NHN likes it more.

 

On a serious note, have you SEEN that B12? Wow.  Proper job.  Now, how many of those were seen on the Southern Region.  Ah. Pump.

[Gwiwer]

 large swear words said!!. 

 

Flabbermegastropods?

 

Two recent arrivals here from the Danish Blue firm.  Both extremely good performers though neither is of the water-boiling variety.

[Purley Oaks]

Evening all

 

Busy day today as it's Gabe's birthday. Managed a trip into town and a return for a late lunch at the Barrelhouse Bar and Grill, which opened last Friday on the site of the old Jock's Lodge pub at the top of Smokey Brae, very close to the old St Margaret's shed. Afterwards we both needed some shuteye before the family put up the Christmas decorations, just a tad later than planned.

 

Bil notified us that he sent off a parcel to us yesterday using Hermes "2-day delivery". The Hermes site has told us to expect delivery on 29 December... hahaha! Shame it's presents for the whole family!

 

Have a pleasant longest night

 

Mal

[laurenceb]

Night all

[Ian Abel]

<whine>...

So much for the Christmas tree picture I posted this morning!

Went down for a cup of tea about 40 minutes ago (mid-afternoon) and about 60% of the bloody lights are out! Mrs and I spent a short amount of time to no avail trying to figure out why/fix the problems, so I'm off out after I finish work to buy several new strings of lights.

 

Why IS IT that as hard as you try to preserve them, and I even TEST THEM before putting them away and try and replace dead bulbs, it seems they last at best a couple of years before crapping out - and I'm NOT about to individually test hundreds of tiny lights on completely dead strings to figure out if/where/when there is ONE dead bulb in each of about 3 separate strings

 

Bugger/sod it /!@$!@$/ etc/etc    

Edited December 21, 2016 by Ian Abel

[Mike Bellamy]

. Her indoors wants to go to Shimla as she watched a programme on the railway to Shimla tonight.

 

 

 

My wife was there for a few days a couple of years ago. She had gone to India with an Asian friend from work and they spent two weeks touring around staying with her relatives. Before she left the itinerary was very vague and Shimla hadn't been mentioned. When she got back and told me where she had been, I asked if she went on the railway - "what railway?" was the response . . . . . !!

 

 

.

[JohnDMJ]

oops Sodium ChlorATE

 

Had his chips?

 

Some c0kw0mble appears to have turned left too soon for Lake Lane and ended up on the bumpy sleepery thingies that separate train rails!

 

Nett result, 1.5 hours pacing up and down Ford Platform 1 (so that my leg didn't seize up!) before getting to LA for vittals!. Arrived home 22:10 following bus replacement to Angmering!

[emt_911]

Night all

[bbishop]

Evening all.

 

I wasn't too far from Ian (Roundhouse) this afternoon. Arranged to meet Hazel in the Mudlark before the carol service in Southwark Cathedral. I arrived at about 3pm and it was dead quiet. A couple of pints of Landlord and we drifted out to queue for good seats. Cathedral was rammed and so were all the pubs at about 8pm.

 

Hope to see TonyA tomorrow.

 

Bill

[southern42]

' Evening all from red dragon land.

 

Visits to various stores in Llandudno, Menai Bridge and Llanfair-with-the-long-name drew a blank for Yorkshire Gold leaf tea.  Looks like it'll have to be an online order.  We did get some C*****massy all butter shortbread from Pringles, though. 

 

A thought before you go to bed...Tomorrow we can start singing:

 

S u m m e r  i s  a - c o m i n g.  i n.

 

 

Except those in the suvvern hemisphere, of course. 

 

Time to try and catch up a bit.