Early Risers.

[81C]

Watched that Escape to the Chateau programme yesterday with Dick Strawmoustache and his red headed extravagant wife, Angel. She must feel so lucky to have landed the bewhiskered sugar daddy. She seems to feel no financial burden. She purchased on Ebay a lamp from the US, that on arrival wasn't a light fitting just an elaborate wall mounted double candle sconce. So off they trotted to the local brocante where they bought 2 light fittings (twice the expense) which Mr Moustacheandahalf had to rewire before fitting (more expense) and a large gilt framed mirror. Then Mrs Extravagance needed some floral wallpaper to go with the pressed flowers she had stuck on a bedroom wall, so with the assistance of an artist she produced a design which she then had produced onto a roll of wallpaper.

 

And we hide away a loco purchase!

 

She a lovely lady imagine waking up next to her in bed it would make your toe's curl. 

[TheQ]

Just back from. Collecting the landrover... There is now a shortage of muddling tokens

 

£1099.82 ouch....

[Barry O]

So next year, as there are two of you, you'll get half, and she'll get the other half. - which is how ours comes - quite why they don't put both lots on the same piece of paper and save on postage - is beyond my comprehension! - but that is the Government for you!

No the civil Service at its best.

 

Baz

 

Ps I was a civil servant but escaped...twice!

[AndyB]

Evenin' all,

Checked in for this week's flights. 

Relieved I didn't have to use an app to do this and end up having to find the boarding pass somewhere on my phone! 

And the airline's website allowed me to check in for both the outbound and inbound flights - result! 

2 boarding passes printed out - old school fashion! 

 

Sat Nav is obviously sulking from lack of use.

I typed in Gatwick Airport as the destination. 

Whereabouts in Gatwick it asked? "City" centre do you?

That'll do, ta.

Ok, here's your route to London Luton Airport. 

ffs. What about "the centre of Gatwick airport" suggests I want to go to the other side of London.  

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. When shopping for my bread and newspapers today I decided to call in to the big orange shed for a few items. When leaving said orange shed I espied a large box of offcuts and other items such as parts of kitchen units. Upon making enquiries I was told I could help myself as long as I deposited a few coins in the charity bucket provided which I duly did after selecting a few items. The charity in question is Shelter.

 

Is the winter allowance per household or per pensioner?
Tony

I understood it was per household.

[Tony_S]

Evenin' all,

Checked in for this week's flights. 

Relieved I didn't have to use an app to do this and end up having to find the boarding pass somewhere on my phone! 

And the airline's website allowed me to check in for both the outbound and inbound flights - result! 

2 boarding passes printed out - old school fashion! 

 

Sat Nav is obviously sulking from lack of use.

I typed in Gatwick Airport as the destination. 

Whereabouts in Gatwick it asked? "City" centre do you?

That'll do, ta.

Ok, here's your route to London Luton Airport. 

ffs. What about "the centre of Gatwick airport" suggests I want to go to the other side of London.  

Fortunately my most recent satnav lets you enter queries similar to those you would in Google. None of this “POI, London Gatwick “ and then choose from a list.

Tony

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

Came across this photo on t'interweb, thought it interesting in many ways.  It is the Esso Northumbria, the first 250,000 ton supertanker built on the Tyne.  Photo is a Wallsend street - all gone now of course.  When talking about ships with friends I often struggle to get across just how big some are, they don't 'get it' - this shot gives quite an insight into the size!

 

I saw her launched, I saw her sail on her maiden voyage as a youth and by sheer chance, on her last voyage before scrapping as a young trainee engineer on another vessel.  That was bigger....

 

Points to think about:  For scale, see the chap working right on the top of the fo'csle. Ships have gotten bigger, but these were still monsters then and now. For health and safety, the ladders and platforms up the bow.  Eeuww.  For social change, those houses are long gone, that area is unrecognisable now. 

 

Edited November 26, 2018 by New Haven Neil

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[Barry O]

Night aww!

[andyram]

Good evening fellow ER's. Thank you for the good wishes. I offer my own good wishes to each and everyone of you, but special kind regards to John and Sandy. I sincerely hope that the treatment is a success.  My thoughts are with you. 

 

The black dog has popped his head back out of the kennel today. Despite today being a day off I have felt on edge all day, like a coiled spring ready to "fly off the handle" at anything. I am not sure why. A busy weekend has resulted in less sleep than is advisable so maybe that has been the reason. After a relaxing catch up with a friend on Saturday night I was late to bed, and then up very early on Sunday to drive to the shop, stock up the car for the toy fair at Kirkby in Ashfield. I had been offered a table at the last minute, and with Sunday's traditionally being quiet, I took the opportunity. From a business point of view it was a success. I just spent the day with a huge headache. A good job I was on the stall next to my parents - mum had some tablets. 

 

Best wishes to you all.

 

Andy

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone

 

It’s been a pretty good day here today! The tealoaf was mixed and in the oven for just after 9:15, this time I’ve made it with a more seasonal flavour, instead of fruit tea, I’ve used a mulled spiced tea and added cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice to it as well. So once that was in the oven, it gave me around 90 minutes, so plenty of time to retrieve the cases from the loft. I also had time to reprint the manual for my chassis jig, as my copy is getting a bit dog eared now. The cake was ready to come out of the oven just in time for me make a muggertea. I’d only just poured the water in when the postman arrived with the first parcel of the day. A Urie G16 resin kit from Golden Arrow, a nice model, but will need quite a bit of fettling to get it looking really good. Then just before dinner my second parcel of the day arrived, this time it was a Roxey Mouldings kit of an SECR inspection coach. After dinner I set of for Shaw to pick up the Bachmann H1 I’d got reserved. Tim informed me that he could have sold another dozen of them, so I’m glad I reserved it. Whilst there I was offered the usual cup of tea, something that only ever happens there. I also bought a few sundries, a chip for the loco, some very fine wire and 3 bottles of super glues of difference viscosity.

 

Goodnight all

Edited November 27, 2018 by BSW01

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Gwiwer]

Morning all. Welcome to Tuesday.

[skipepsi]

Morning all. Welcome to Tuesday.

Early rising has returned... 

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

There is something about Monday morning at Barclays Bank.  More often than not there is a technical failure of some sort.  Today the machine which dispenses statements told me that statements were not available.  Pausing only to ponder as to the purpose of the thing I went to find a human being at the counter and found myself being assisted by no less a personage than the branch manager.  I don’t think there is any love lost between her and the machine.  Result: statement printed and money for my holiday transferred to the current account.  I shall have to go in there again next week to order ChFs and euros for my Swiss trip.  Money makes the world go round …

 

This morning I need to get the ingredients for lunch with Poorly Pal on Thursday.  He has asked for prawns.  I found a suitable recipe in one of those Tesco magazines and it looks easy enough.  At the moment I feel more confident cooking than m*d*ll*ng but things may be different later in the week.

 

Brian R, may your retirement be a long and happy one.  We may have a few minutes at the Small Cardiff show in January to compare notes.  I was paid to go away in March 2006 – not a moment too soon, I might add - and I just don’t know where the time has gone.  On the subject of the Small Cardiff Show, I realised on Sunday that it is the same weekend as Southampton.  Fortunately I normally attend that show on the Sunday so I’ve been on the Premier Inn webshite to find a billet for the night.  Needless to say, the hotel nearest to the show costs twice as much as the one I chose. Hey, that’s – er – show business.

 

Warm thoughts to all in distress or missing and a special mention to Andyram.  You are not alone.

 

Chris

[pH]

Who says trains don't have steering wheels?

 

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/678742/

[45156]

There is something about Monday morning at Barclays Bank.  More often than not there is a technical failure of some sort. 

Tell me about it, Chris - since our branch went "automated", it is very hit and miss as to what I can achieve.  Even when I go to the counter (one teller and the counter is at the side of the branch so that you have to pass all the machines to get there), there is often some sort of issue which means that I cannot get a printout.

 

Morning All

 

Welcome back Mick, you have been missed on here.  Happy retirement Brian.  Supportive thoughts to Andy - hope the black dog is back in its kennel soon.  The Q - ouch.  Generic greetings to everybody else.

 

Not a lot to report here.

 

Back tomorrow,

Regards to All

Stewart

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Still darkish with some bright spells forecast followed by rain later.

Mick, nice to see you visiting, it seems to have been a long time.

Tuesday's are usually excellent because it means grandchildren will be here later. As Joe is now in the 6th form he gets to escape earlier on some days so will be coming to lunch. Gemma will be here after school. *

Nothing else planned for today although I will have to nip out for some milk as we seem to have had a run on it.

Have a good one,

Bob

 

 

 

* We  love the fact that although they are 16 and 14 respectively they still want to visit after school.

Edited November 27, 2018 by grandadbob

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Glad to see your post Mick...we are still missing a number of Ers.

Just had 9 hours sleep (catching up with sleep I missed at the NEC).

 

Sister Drac rang me yesterday. Change in my tablet taking regime ordered. Pah!

 

AndyRam..hope you can secure the dog in the kennel.

 

We are now ready for our trip next year. E visas have been obtained (in the end the process was quite painless).

 

Today is earno a crust day for a new customer. The photos he has sent me are OK but one tanker will be a challenge.

 

Have as good a day as you can.

 

Baz

[roundhouse]

Good morning from a foggy Surrey.

 

What an anti climax this week is now after Warley. Will be emailing the details of the layouts that haven't been yet  but must find space to build something new.

 

Yesterday was spent tidying up including continuing to empty my old modelling toolbox that is full of various bits that will be of use at some point in the future, putting these into the relevant storage boxes / bags, changing couplings on a couple of USA N scale locos my other half has bought (one over the weekend at NEC). She is happy buying locos but wont try to drive them. She is superb at helping at shows setting up and dismantling plus with the driving getting teas / coffees etc. She is also very good at saying ' you better get that one as its a good price' hence why I have another USA N scale loco that I didnt really require but nice to have.

 

Also a new gadget arrived by courier, a Google home Hub, first gadget in many months. Had it showing Youtube Kansas City railcam live but this morning it cant find it. At least the touchscreen Pc that kept locking up last week now seems to be working fine after un installing a few programs then reinstalling them.

 

This morning I shall be out to a nearby footbridge to photo a steam special from Vic to Eastbourne

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Rather foggy outside, I am not going out until lunchtime when it should have cleared. AndyRam I hope you can keep that canine in its kennel. Must go now, time to run a bath.

[jamie92208]

Good morning all. Great to see Mick (Skipepsi) back with us. Brian, I wish you a long and happy retirement, I pulled the plug in 2002 and have never regretted it. Andy and others I wish you luck keeping the canines under control.

 

I went to see our GP yesterday, I need to go every 3 months for a repeat prescription for blood pressure tablets and statins.  No problems and at the end a request for 25 Euros.  No problem getting an appointment, just ring up in the morning.  Cards were played in the evening, a bit of modelling while the so called celebs were getting bored in Oz then we both watched an excellent interview with Tina Turner on BBC1, what a great woman she is.

 

Various tasks this morning.  The first one is to dismantle, empty then rebuild the compost bin which needs some TLC.   I will also have to dispose of a lot of tab ends left in there by a house guest who came a couple of years ago.   Then a bit of wood chopping and garden tidying.   At the moment it looks fine and clear but we may have rain later so I better get on.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[AndrewC]

 

Greetings from a foggy borough of boringness. 

 

No news from next door but things seem to have quietened down. Not a lot happening. Managed to finally empty a couple of storage tubs in the office. The filing cabinet has been refilled with crap vital archived material and my Lego Tower Bridge is whole once again and on a shelf above my desk. Hoping I can get my Dinky Toy display case back up today. <<<< I do live on the edge, don't I?

 

Hopefully AndyRam can cage the black dog again. I was reading an article around how depression and pain are intertwined. One can trigger the other in either direction. Makes sense. I noticed I'm at my lowest when my shoulder or knee are acting up. 

 

Work calls as does the coffee maker. 

 

Enjoy the day. 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone

 

It’s a sunny day, but cold and frosty as well. I’ll soon be setting out to complete the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix, whilst Sheila stays in and gets on with her domestic chores, I don’t get involved unless I’m asked too!

 

Brian R. I hope your retirement goes well. If it’s anything like mine (I retired 16 months ago) it’ll fly past and you’ll wonder how you ever fitted work in. As for the to do list, don’t expect it to shorten, mine hasn’t!

 

Back later

Edited November 27, 2018 by BSW01

[Tony_S]

Hello all.

Foggy mist here this morning.

Nice to see Mick posting here again.

Tony