Early Risers.

[andyram]

Evening all. Birthday wishes and wishes for a continued recovery to Beth.

 

Chrisf's comment about the job has got me thinking - that an application for this job makes sense. I am still not sure on that one. True enough I actually enjoyed the teaching this afternoon as I met the final class of the three I am to cover throughout each week day afternoon. Tomorrow it is back to covering the ex student's class and they are a very testing lot! The morning sessions - working with the Special Needs children cause me concern because I still feel like I have not had enough direction for this part of the role and so I still don't feel confident in what I am doing. Whether that will change before I have to decide on the application remains to be seen.

 

Of course my thoughts towards any job are not helped by a lack of sleep - something that caused problems last year. Last night I managed to drift off, but was disturbed by a cat at 3.45am and struggled to drift back off. In the end the alarm went off at 6am and then I went back to sleep for an hour resulting in a mad rush.

 

Hope tonight's sleep is better.

 

Night all.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Birthday wishes to Beth and I hope you're out of hospital soon Jamie.

 

 "I lost my virginity on a Morris Minor".

 

Jamie

 

PS Yes I'm still alive.

ON a Morris Minor?

 

There are a couple of YouTube videos that suggest the CX has off-road capabilities too, mainly due to its suspension   - not sure I'll be allowed to try that out on Saturday....

I've seen YouTube  videos of the same. The suspension is pumped up to maximum giving about two feet of ground clearance.

[Horsetan]

....ON a Morris Minor? ....

I wonder if the suspension creaked?

[lightengine]

Two extremes:

 

thousand_words_26.jpg

 

 

 

 

I wonder what poor old Ron is thinking.....

 

ncxo94.jpg

 

Lives in your neck of the woods, Rick. If I remember rightly The Artwoods (Art was his brother) played their share of gigs at Eel Pie Island.

 

 

Best, Pete.

Probably wondering why he bought those red trainers and his old mate Rod has more sartorial elegance.

[BSW01]

Evening all

 

It was very windy here last night, I was awoken around 3:00 by the sound of bins being blown over, luckily ours were ok and when I went out to collect them, they'd both been emptied.

 

It's been quite a busy day, one way or another, Sainsbury's Grand Prix first thing then a trip to the large DIY emporium to buy a battery powered hedge clipper.

 

Tomorrow, whilst Sheila is at Zumba, I will be making another cheesecake. Over the last few weeks I've been experimenting with different flavours! So far I've made chocolate orange, which went down well. Last week I made mint chocolate, which went down very well, so tomorrow I'm trying chocolate and salted caramel! Hopefully that will go down well too!

Can you all spot the overriding theme?

 

Andyram. Apply for the job, your email got nothing to lose and lots to gain, you can always turn it down later if something else turns up.

 

Happy birthday Beth.

 

Time for bed, goodnight all.

[Barry O]

Good night to some, afternoon or evening to others!

Baz

[Happy Hippo]

Still no joy from the PC, although my next door neighbour, whom is excellent in such matters has offered to sort it out. Everything else is connected and working. Much joy from the Obergrumpenfuhrer as the Amazon Fire TV now works without buffering.

 

Last night wrought damage on some of the willow trees that front the property. I spent a considerable time tidying up today, only for the PH to mess up the area when he sorted out the damage with various tree surgery tools. There is now a rather large pile of branches on the front verge that will require `processing` tomorrow.

 

I was required to supervise and then take him to the pub for a refuelling stop.

 

To celebrate the arrival of autumn, I changed from cider to Doombar.

 

After today's excitement, tomorrow should see me back on the track laying saga once more.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all, 

Dry, cool start and sunshine & showers, possibly thundery, are forecast.

Horror of horrors, it's actually cool enough to put the heating on to take the chill off the bathroom first thing. Unusual for me to put it on this early in the year but it is for my benefit as the ice maiden who spends her working day sticking her head in fridges doesn't feel the cold. At all.  Ever.   If she had her way the heating would never come on. I never used to feel the cold but this has changed in the last couple of years, probably because I'm spending too much time indoors. (and getting softer as I get older)

 

Didn't get to muddle yesterday as I decided I ought to garden while the sun was still shining. This turned out to be a mixed blessing as I got quite a lot done before the rain came but it resulted in the usual aching back. Never mind, today is mine own. Well almost as firstly there is the small matter of the weekly argument in Sainsbury's. 

 

I eventually decided to order the SECR P class. Now got to decide what to cancel......or not.    

 

Latest news on our friend Steve is that he is slowly progressing although still very weak. He is 50 on Sunday and we've been invited to a very small quiet family celebration. This will be quite short so that he doesn't overdo it.

 

Have a good one,

 

Bob.

Edited September 14, 2017 by grandadbob

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

It is a very damp morning here.  It is also a little blustery, but not too bad.

 

There are a couple of YouTube videos that suggest the CX has off-road capabilities too, mainly due to its suspension   - not sure I'll be allowed to try that out on Saturday....

 

At one point, my parents looked a buying a CX - at least my Dad did, I think my Mum found them a bit too funky.  While we were at the garage another chap was sounding off about how the suspension idea would never work because he had had an Austin with hydrolastic suspension and that never worked properly - you know the sort.

 

To cut a long story short, the Citroen dealer raised the CX demonstrator to its full height, removed a wheel, and drove it around the forecourt.  Pretty impressive, and certainly not achievable with BL Hydrolastic Suspension!

 

Time for a coffee.

 

Have a good day everyone...

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

Yesterday was unremarkable.  I left the house only to move the car from across Mrs E-C’s gate to a place of safety and, some hours later, to its rightful place once the interloper had gone.  The laundry is once again up to date and I have been scoping another m*d*ll*ng project, as if there were not many unfinished already.  The interlude of Hansard’s Half Hour, aka PMQs, was raucous and less than revealing, with Mother Theresa missing no opportunity for insulting her opponents and gushing praise to her honourable friends.  Once again I failed to win a Daily Politics mug.  What a shame.

 

Among my incoming e-mails was an invitation to renew a magazine subscription and save £5.  This would have been fine except that I renewed it last month.  I picked up the phone and asked if there was any chance of a refund.  All together now: tightwad!  The man in the call centre went away, asked his boss and came back.  Yes.  How kind.

 

Today could see some unspecified pottering while I wait for my financial adviser to ring.

 

Best wishes and felicitations to all in distress and recovery. 

 

Chris

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner temple here,

 

A three piece sleep last night, 4 hours, 1 hour, 1.5 hours, the last 1.5 was the problem I over slept by half an hour and getting to work on time was achieved by rushing around like mad.

 

We are down to a nice gentle breeze this morning unfortunately from the north, which is a bit chilly. The new gate wall I've built will help with that though, as it will stop the wind hitting the lower 6 foot of the West North West side of the house, which only has 1 brick walls...

 

Going home yesterday was interesting, all those crushed chestnuts, had been turned into rivers of foam on the roads.

 

A couple of days ago It was decided to wash Ben the Border Collies Bed, on removing the liner it said.... dry clean only?! so that went into the machine on 15C and survived ok.... Trouble was SWMBO then forgot to put the temperature back up, white shirts washed at 15C? no chance they're back in the pile and I turned the temp back up this morning.

 

This Morning we have a big puddle in the first  village I come to, since the rest of the roads are all but dry, I suspect we have another mains pipe leakage to add to the chaos getting around the burnt out Pub. The Pub has already announced plans to reopen in 18 months, the current staff  being temporarily being transferred to it's other pubs in the small chain in the area.. This may also help the other two houses destroyed, as the fire is being put down to an electrical fault in the pub, the pubs insurers will be paying for the rebuild of them too which makes it simple for the three buildings to be rebuilt together. I suspect if they do reopen the road then because scaffolding is going to be required, it will mean 4 way traffic lights for the next 18 months as well.

 

Time to... go measure 14 Current shunts...

Edited September 14, 2017 by TheQ

[Horsetan]

... an invitation to renew a magazine subscription and save £5. This would have been fine except that I renewed it last month. I picked up the phone and asked if there was any chance of a refund. All together now: tightwad! The man in the call centre went away, asked his boss and came back. Yes. How kind.

 

Today could see some unspecified pottering while I wait for my financial adviser to ring.....

Don't spend it all at once!

[Barry O]

Time fora mugatea before a visit to my eye pressure checking doctor, a visit by our financial adviser then I am "making space" in the garage for some of Dr Eldest Herberts' furniture. Sky hooks would come in handy.

 

Have a great time on Planet Earth today.

 

Baz

[Barry O]

Apparently I have some words printed in the October Railway Modeller. Followed by a bit more in November ...oooh stardom at last!

 

I am available for magazine signings....

Baz

[Horsetan]

Apparently I have some words printed in the October Railway Modeller. Followed by a bit more in November ...oooh stardom at last!

 

I am available for magazine signings....

 

Are you available for barmitzvahs and weddings?

[Smiffy2]

Morning all.

Just off to Cancale for lunch, so must rush!

 

Yesterday was a washout (in all senses) so hoping for better today.

 

Ian - do you recall MEK* from the French forum? Having lunch with him and his missus.

 

 

*Like me he was eventually banned for winding up the moderators/telling the truth.

[AndyB]

Morning All,

 

It is a very damp morning here.  It is also a little blustery, but not too bad.

 

 

At one point, my parents looked a buying a CX - at least my Dad did, I think my Mum found them a bit too funky.  While we were at the garage another chap was sounding off about how the suspension idea would never work because he had had an Austin with hydrolastic suspension and that never worked properly - you know the sort.

 

To cut a long story short, the Citroen dealer raised the CX demonstrator to its full height, removed a wheel, and drove it around the forecourt.  Pretty impressive, and certainly not achievable with BL Hydrolastic Suspension!

 

Time for a coffee.

 

Have a good day everyone...

 

The hydro-elastic suspension worked ok but did need extra fluid in from time to time. Eventually this became quite regular on my Austin 1100 and was unaffordable. 

When I finally drove it to the scrap yard the car had a distinct list and caused a WPC travelling in her panda car to do a double take. I assume it was the suspension, but might have been that we'd had to fix the offside wing on with nylon fishing line. I'd like to think a cheeky smile got me off the hook that time!   

 

Long story short, the first breakers yard wouldn't take it so this entailed a 5 mile drive to the next one. The car nearly made it but the last few hundred yards were a combination of using the starter motor to power it (got quite warm!) and some mates pushing. I believe I got about £26 for it in today's money. We spent the money wisely.  

[Gwiwer]

Morning all.  Grey. damp and cooler than it ought to be this morning.  Cat is hogging the duvet - a cat is never wrong.

 

Today marks RUOK Day in Australia; typically in a workplace situation colleagues are encouraged to ask each other "Are You OK?" as a general welfare check and to allow an opportunity for any mental health issues to be raised.  There is no suggestion that mental health matters can be dealt with casually nor that they are trivialised - they can endure a lifetime.  But there is the sense of looking out for each other and perhaps quietly making a difference to someone.  I have lost friends who might still be around today if only someone had spotted they were not OK.  Or had asked.  

 

The door, albeit an electronic one, is always open here.  RUOK?

SWMBO is off on a training course today and has had to locate Isleworth.  Not very far at all but when you haven't been before it makes for a slightly apprehensive start to the day.  Notter Lott to be attended to about the house today.  I shall no doubt find work for idle hands somehow.

 

Have a good one.  Friday is just around the corner.

Edited to include image just received of the Aussie XPT train on the Sydney - Dubbo run today

 

Edited September 14, 2017 by Gwiwer

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Just been going through my Facebook page. My neice has just told me that she has had a hip replacement. I knew she was waiting for one but I didn't expect it to be so soon. She had injured her hip in an accident at work and she has recently been invalided out due to the accident. At the moment she is more concerned about a friend who has gone missing, she has been missing now for a couple of weeks and everyone is very worried indeed. Thats it for now, be back later.

[TheQ]

RUOK? No if I was, I wouldn't be in this asylum...

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone

 

The sun is out and it's a lovely sunny day. The cheesecake is finished and is currently residing in the fridge, we will test it tomorrow when the grandkids come round for tea.

 

I'm currently sat waiting for a parcel, unfortunately it isn't one for me, it's one for Sheila and I believe contains some scented candles!

 

Time for a mugatea me thinks.

 

Back later.

[Tony_S]

RUOK

When Matthew returned to the UK after a year in Canada and made a friendly good morning type greeting to someone on the train to London.

Their response "wassamarra wiv you, are yous weird mate?"

 

Perhaps this is why he likes Ireland?

[Horsetan]

.....At one point, my parents looked a buying a CX - at least my Dad did, I think my Mum found them a bit too funky.  While we were at the garage another chap was sounding off about how the suspension idea would never work because he had had an Austin with hydrolastic suspension and that never worked properly - you know the sort.

 

To cut a long story short, the Citroen dealer raised the CX demonstrator to its full height, removed a wheel, and drove it around the forecourt.  Pretty impressive, and certainly not achievable with BL Hydrolastic Suspension!....

 

That's a party piece (first shown on the DS) which almost all oleopenumatic Citroens - from the DS right up to the last Hydractive C5s - can perform. You can only do the 3-wheel trick on the rear wheels, for obvious reasons!

 

 

As has been said earlier, raise the suspension to full-height (almost same ground clearance as a proper 4x4) and a Citroen could certainly get into places most ordinary cars can't go.

 

On the downside, I've been warned that the CX might not be suitable for towing a single horse trailer even though the suspension is always level, contrary to what I had intended, so that idea may have to go out of the window. Apparently not powerful enough (138hp).