Early Risers.

[Tony_S]

We are just back from an evening out. We went to a Turkish restaurant. Food and service were excellent.

Tony

Edited September 11, 2017 by Tony_S

[Ozexpatriate]

We have now broken the previous dry spell record - 73 days without rain set in 1917.

The blessed event occurred here on Saturday evening with a gentle shower resulting in about 0.05" (1.3mm).

 

Sunday was very pleasant, the rain having removed the wildfire smoke from the air.

 

We weren't close to any consecutive days of dry spell records once 0.11" fell in the early morning of August 13. It does now feel like the wheel of the year is turning and Autumn is approaching.

 

Of course today will see a return of warmth (32°C) and smoke.

[New Haven Neil]

[jamie92208]

Evening all from the Charente.  It's been a hectic couple of days with only the odd chance to pop in and out.  Beth managed to burn her hand with hot duck fat last night and we had a 20 mile trip to the local hospital. The care and speed was excellent.   We were home within 2 hours.  We had to go back this morning for a review and now the district nurse is going to visit every day for the next 6 days to change the dressings.   I managed to get her hand under the cold tap within seconds and it seems as if she has escaped the worst but only time will tell.   We've also had some positive news about the step dragon in law.  The biopsy has confirmed that it's an isolated lump that's stage 1 and it hasn't spread to any lymph nodes.   However she's going in for a mastectomy in a fortnight.   With her past history this is very good news.

 

Various tasks got done today and I even managed to fit and energise the power supply to where the layout will be next year so that's a bonus.

 

Regards to all.

 

On the subject of Trolleybuses, the annual Sandtoft gathering in July is well worth going to with vehicles from over a dozen different fleets running and some lovely overhead that includes nearly every type of switch and crossing.  It's well worth the effort to get there.

 

Jamie

[Ozexpatriate]

"Please don't even try"

The Geordie response to 'cultural appropriation'?

Edited September 11, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[PhilJ W]

Evening all.

I recall seeing trolleybuses somewhere in the Midlands when I was a small child and I am sure I saw some when we lived in Somerset. However that was on a journey that was somewhere in Wales when Dad was going for a job interview.

In the 50's and to a lesser extent the 60's there were plenty of trolleybus operaters in the Midlands. The ones you saw in Wales would have almost certainly been in Cardiff were they lasted until about 1970.

Edited September 12, 2017 by PhilJ W

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Evening all

 

Despite today's heavy rain and strong winds, I decided to go swimming in Salford Quays tonight, it was very quiet there, I can't think why. Still the water was a lot warmer than I expected, the sign in the window stated it was 16.2C I'll bet it wasn't far out. I wore my wetsuit for the first time in about 6 weeks, it made a heck of a difference.

 

When I got home I poured myself a glass of beer, courtesy of Sheila.....

 

 

Oooo it went down well.

 

Goodnight all

[laurenceb]

Derby's trollybuses lasted till the 9th September 1967. The Derby wireing was reputedly the loosest in the country!

Night awl

[newbryford]

Out of the blue today, I received a complimentary copy of Peco's new publication "Your Guide to 00 Gauge Railway Modelling".

 

Peco/Railway Modeller are very good at sending complimentary copies when they include something about or pertaining to anyone in it. For example, I've had previous copies when a layout of mine, or pictures of my stock were used. - repeated from previous articles in the RM that I've been involved with.

However, in this case it took a couple of looks through to find the reason for me being in it - a picture of me taken at the NEC last year doing a modelling demo. Actually, it is me talking about modelling, which accounts for about 90% of my demo stand at an exhibition......................

 

I proudly showed it to Junior NB who simply said "That's not a good picture of you".......... 

 

Payback tomorrow when she wants me to buy her lunch - I think not.

 

Have a good Tuesday folks - mine is likely to start with a lie-in if it keeps on raining overnight.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[bbishop]

Evening all from the Charente.  It's been a hectic couple of days with only the odd chance to pop in and out.  Beth managed to burn her hand with hot duck fat last night and we had a 20 mile trip to the local hospital. The care and speed was excellent.   We were home within 2 hours.  We had to go back this morning for a review and now the district nurse is going to visit every day for the next 6 days to change the dressings.   I managed to get her hand under the cold tap within seconds and it seems as if she has escaped the worst but only time will tell.  

 

 

Jamie

 

Jamie,

 

I hope Beth is ok.

 

I had three days at Lord's watching your namesake performing magic tricks; the best was number 501, the look on Keiron Powell's face when he finally turned round and saw the off bail nestling on the turf.  A lot of trade on Thursday, Friday and Saturday were quieter.

 

Then the rector's retirement service on Sunday, I was tapped at the start and had to deal with a badly cut hand; washed under running water, bandaged, head and neck check, FAST test and despatched to A&E to clean grit out of the wound.  Wash down the treatment area (disabled toilet), do the paperwork and back to the service.

 

Bill

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

It is a blustery morning today, but I guess that is to be expected with the time of year!

 

I also hope that Jamie's Beth is soon better.  Burns are nasty - especially fat burns.

 

There isn't a lot else to report, so I guess it is time for a coffee.

 

Have a good day everyone...

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

Goodness me, the ironing is up to date.  Wonders will never cease.  I can go on my way rejoicing today, firstly for a fodder run and then the regular visit to Poorly Pal.  We will have sandwiches at lunchtime and repair to the pub for dinner before joining the Hitchin chapter of the Royal Corps of Train Spotters for their monthly conclave.  How much m*d*ll*ng gets done in the shed where the layout lives remains to be seen.

 

There is a new series on Channel 5 – Paddington 24/7.  The first episode last night included a reference to the 900 mile route to the West Country (!), sequences at Cardiff Central and the Swindon control room and coverage of a 9 day blockade at Oxford where mechanised relaying took place.  Perhaps a more accurate title should have been found.  It’s better than nothing though.

 

Best wishes and felicitations to all in distress and recovery. 

 

Chris

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner temple here.

A poor nights sleep was had of about 5.5 hours, the aches and pains remain of the weekends work keeping me awake, but not the physical exhaustion after the wall building allowing me to sleep..

 

As mentioned yesterday the closure of the road round the pub would cause chaos, and it did. Lots of people who've never driven down a single track road, not knowing how to pass each other properly and a huge amount of traffic trying to squeeze down single track roads. I for got on the way in this morning and ended up going round those roads again, not too bad at 06:00. But I must remember tonight, there is another set of back roads slightly further away from the chaos I can use although those genuine locals will use those as well...

 

The other problem on the way home was a cyclewomble, at the first set of lights I arrived at after work, he came through the red lights,( I had green)  phone to his ear straight across the front of me which required rapid braking. Having done that he tried to bump up onto the kerb to avoid a lorry parked at the next set of lights and skided his back wheel on a drain cover and almost lost, it still on his phone.

 

The news from home was Ben the Border Collie definitely did not like the thunder yesterday and made another attempt to get through the kitchen (fixed) window. We've now dug out a large cats cage which he can just get into and hopefully that will give him something to go in rather than go charging around the house looking for somewhere to hide.. It has of course been made comfortable with cushions and one of his blankets..

 

Time to go and work on the current major system.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Rather cooler here last night but there is blue sky and the sun is shining. Should stay that way for a while although there is the prospect of some cloud and showers later.

The Boss was taken to work earlier and cheerfully told me that I would only have to do it on 34 more occasions. Can't wait.

Hopefully I'll get some muddling done later but the first priority is to decide which ransom from various car insurance companies to pay. Direct Line are winning at the moment but I've got one more to check.

This is the first Tuesday that the kids have been back to school after the holidays so Joe and Gemma are visiting later. Looking forward to this as we haven't seen them for what seems like ages although in reality it's not even a couple of weeks.

Have a good one,
Bob.

[BlackRat]

Shakey evening yesterday.......riding the bike through the rain in Brittany and the brakes failed.

 

Heart stopping moment but luckily the training kicks in.

 

Mrs BR on the back but both ok and bike in one piece, minus brakes.

 

Now it's off to I know not where and a load of hassle trying to get home tomorrow.

 

Luckily got full recovery insurance etc so it should all be taken care of.......but what a pain!

 

c'est la vie

Edited September 12, 2017 by BlackRat

[jamie92208]

Morning ll from a sunny Charente.  Thanks for the support and comments about Beth's hand.   We don't know about long term effects yet but it does appear that though very painful it hasn't done any lasting damage apart from blistering.   Just a quick visit this morning as I've got to represent the household at the funeral of an expat from the village.  Rather a sad affair.  He was only in his 30's and died in a car crash. Got to go now.  Regards to all.

 

Jamie

Edited September 13, 2017 by jamie92208

[Barry O]

Hey up!

Mick, a picture of you talking doing a demo...well I never!

 

Busy day today catching up with some League cricket matters prior to a meeting this evening.

 

Hope you all have a good 24 hours.

 

Baz

[Tony_S]

Good morning.

Sunny here and not raining.

I have a few small tasks today, drive to Canvey for Robbie's hydrotherapy session, and take Matthew to the railway station at Benfleet. He is going to visit a friend in Reading.

I also need to visit a Pets at Home store somewhere to get Robbie more dog food.

I hope you all have a good day.

 

Tony

[DDolfelin]

Shakey evening yesterday.......riding the bike through the rain in Brittany and the brakes failed.

 

 

It must be an up market bike.

Most don't seem to come with brakes.

 

Hope all turns out OK.

[The Lurker]

Morning all, bright blue skies here at London Bridge.

 

Hope Beth recovers quickly.

 

I have only ever seen trolleybuses in Vancouver, this summer and in the mid 70's, the previous time I was there. But my Dad fondly recalls the London trolley buses, I guess somewhere around Alperton, Kingsbury, Kenton, as they were his stomping grounds. Having said that he did once tell me he'd gone over to Barking bus spotting.

 

The other point to note is that the autocorrect (I assume) has caught out a couple of people - it's "Middlesbrough". I once earned respect from a native by being the only person in the room to spell it correctly. Years of watching Final Score I suspect.....

 

Father in law has had another op to repair damage from his travails with bowel cancer a few years back; the op didn't go to plan and he has had emergency surgery, again. He's borne up better this time around, no repeat of three years ago, when everyone dropped what they were doing to be by his side.

 

Right, on to some work!

[Tony_S]

Shakey evening yesterday.......riding the bike through the rain in Brittany and the brakes failed...

Sounds most unpleasant.

Back when I had motorbikes I don't think I ever had a total brake failure. Though it was so long ago the connections were mainly

mechanical, no servos or ABS.

I hope the return to the UK goes as smoothly as possible.

Tony

Edited September 12, 2017 by Tony_S

[Happy Hippo]

BT installed the new broadband yesterday. Compared to before, speeds are definitely supersonic. Well at least on the wireless stuff. My main PC just refuses to recognise the new hub.

 

We suspect a software issue probably directly related to the dreaded W v10.

 

I will grub through my collection of cables and see if a physical connection can be made between hub and PC.

[Tony_S]

I probably would have spelt Middlesbrough with an extra o. However the spellchecker on this device does have the correct spelling!