Early Risers.

[J. S. Bach]

Welcome back owl from the Piedmont!

 

Edit: I see that my Weather Underground banner is back but the temperature is wonky!

Edited July 22, 2020 by J. S. Bach

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I started the debate on carriage tables. As I recall some  stock had half tables, only between the window seats, a much better arrangement. I'll have more to report when RMweb comes back.

The above I was about to post at 08:28 when RMweb was switched off early. (I thought it was supposed to be 08:30)

[PhilJ W]

I posted this morning  and clicked the submit reply button at 08:28 to find that RMweb had shut down!

[iL Dottore]

32 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Oooh are we back on

Yes, we are back. But....

 

STILL NO GROAN BUTTON!!!

 

I am disgruntled.....

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Excuse the multiple posts above (I've notified the mods) but I couldn't see any posts that I'd recently posted and the above is the result of my attempts to post. For anyone who's posts seem to disappear I resolved it by signing out and then signing in again. The printer is now up and running after the engineer fitted the new bits including an unexpected bonus. One of the components was an imaging kit which is a part that contains the developers. There are four developers, the three primary colours and the black. It was the black developer that had failed and the imaging frame that holds the developers also needed renewing. I paid £70 for the imaging kit and £40 for the black developer, both were the cheapest that I could find. A developer would normally  set you back about £70. The engineer was surprised to find the imaging unit was fitted with four brand new developers. Needless to say they are now installed in the printer. Sorry Flavio but I forgot to ask him about 3D printers,

[PhilJ W]

A fellow SEERS member has just flagged this up:- https://masquette.square.site/  a bit pricey but if you want to stand out in a crowd. 

[chrisf]

9 hours ago, Tony_S said:

 
ChrisF, Is it the in-house display for your smart meter that is wrong or the time on your actual smart meter? When our display has lost sync with the meter I turn the in house display off and back on again. I googled smart meter display and the name of our electricity supplier for the instructions. If the actual meter is incorrect you need a visit to sort it out.

 

Tony, the display is wrong.  I have tried turning it off and on again but to no avail.  Disturbing the slumbering beast that is E.on does not appeal but if I must I must.

 

Chris

[Tony_S]

13 minutes ago, chrisf said:

 

Tony, the display is wrong.  I have tried turning it off and on again but to no avail.  Disturbing the slumbering beast that is E.on does not appeal but if I must I must.

 

Chris

Ours is an E.On device too. It wasn’t just a simple turn on and off. For our model it was first  unplug from power supply. The display still works as it has a battery. Then it was hold down the on/off button for 5 seconds.  Wait some time , 10 minutes I seem to recall and then plug it back in and turn it on. It will reconnect to the meter which should be getting its time from a mobile phone mast somewhere. If that doesn’t work you will need to chat with E.On. I stay with them as they have always been really helpful when I have had queries. After resetting your display you may need to set it up the way you like. We have it displaying yesterday’s total energy cost and how much so far for today. 
Hope this helps

  Tony
 

[Gwiwer]

And we’re back 

 

Welcome to the Hill of Strawberries where it is a fine day to sit outside with a cool ale and await our server swap. 
 

Someone asked a while back about Neighbour (Next Door) with the unusual accent. I suggested NW Canadian or Alaskan.  Turns out she is from Beaver Creek which is in Canada’s Yukon but within a whisker of the Alaskan border. And with one German parent for good measure. 
 

A noticeably busier day at the House of Fun today with arrivals from Gatwick and departures for all coastal destinations up in numbers. Nowhere near what a July day would normally be but some trains are now running ¼ full and more. 
 

I’ll try to catch up later. Kitchen duties call for now. 
 

It’s good to be back among friends. 

[Ian Abel]

Moaning all - hump day innit!

 

Apologies in advance if it seems that I've not added reactions to all the posts - keep getting an error saying there was "a problem reacting to this content".

I certainly don't envy Andy his work upgrading this system, never fun, especially with this many "grumpy old men" as users  

 

Working on "slow progress" now as the during the weekend seems I over exerted and resulted in a setback - this sh!t sucks!

 

Given I can't do much, not much to report.

 

16 first thing, high of 24 forecast with "considerable cloudiness" <-- that's a first for any forecasts I've seen before

 

Carry on.

 

EDIT: Reactions NOW working... I'll try and back up and "react"

Edited July 22, 2020 by Ian Abel

[The Stationmaster]

Previous post vanished!!  So this time I'll ignore the an Inspector PCSO calls on door-to-door inquiries tale of an allegedly stolen VW Golf. (which I suspect was far more allegedly than actually as the tale was most odd and in any case the car belonged to somebody who doesn't live in this road so we're hardly likely to notice anybody taking it unless they were breaking a window to get into it. (and no recent sign of broken glass in the road).

 

Now to tables on trains.  Well they have been a feature of open stock for many years and that takes us in recent times through the life of HSTs (40+ years), other Mk 3 coaches and virtually all the Mk 2 coaches  back to some of the Mk1 open stock - so we're back a good long time.  Some compartment stock, including one version of Mk1 SK, had a table strapped up at one end of the coach which could be erected in a compartment - i think all compartments had the necessary brackets to take it and there was something similar on some Pre-nationalisation vehicles.  nd of course some Pre-Nationalisation opens also had tables.  So in reality a substantial proportion of British long distance coaching stock has had tables for a good while back and it still has although 'bus style seating has seen a lot more use of fold down trays at many seats.

 

I think the story is similar on a lot of mainland European stock and interestingly that is where you can find compartments with fixed tables in the 1st Class compartmentalised 4 seater bays on TGV Altlantique and some other TGVs.  these are definirely useful when consuming your croque monsieur and in my experience the trains are more than sufficiently stable to stand your bottle of vin rouge on the table instead of stuffing it beside you on your seat and getting it too warm.

 

Right let's see if this one works.

[Tony_S]

Today has been more exciting than usual. 
I had a phonecall this morning inviting me for a Covid test. I was asked to attend today or tomorrow so requested today. We set off. The location was one well known to railway modellers in Essex as it was the car park of the Garons Leisure Centre as used for the Shoeburyness Model Railway Exhibition.

The Covid test was a throat swab. I was aware it was being done but it wasn’t as melodramatic as described by some people in the media. Perhaps their swabs were done with a loo brush?

Aditi dropped some documents off into her French Circle colleagues quarantine box on the way home.

After getting biome I sat in the lounge and wondered about a strange noise. I thought perhaps someone was moving about outside. However it then sounded like tweets and flapping so I guessed a bird had penetrated the bird guard cowl and was now behind the fire. Fortunately it is an electric fire with a false flame effect. After dragging the fire out of the cavity the bird flew out through the big space provided by the open patio door. I have commissioned a neighbour who is a builder but specialises in fireplaces and flues to fit a cowl like the one on his house. The original basic cowl he put on for me 20 years ago as a freeby must be finally getting bird resistant rather than bird proof.  Fortunately as the chimney hasn’t been used for real fires there wasn’t much mess to clear up either. 
Tony

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by Tony_S
Missing bits

[New Haven Neil]

A'noon.

 

A decent day, yes.  Bit rainy though.  Ex-member of staff called in this afternoon to steal our coffee and gave us a good laugh, brightened the day up.

 

Douglas - I AM outside of the USA....and I AM ancient!  By your standards anyway.  i what?  I use my phone for phone calls mostly   This is mostly grumpy old git territory you know, although your youthful input here is most welcome of course. 

 

Would never have anything Apple having seen how they become automatically unusable due to lack of upgrades once they decide your device is obsolete.  Like me really.....obsolete.

 

I was born a couple of hundred yards from the sea, earned a living on it for 7 years and still live within a couple of miles of it - but now thankfully away from those north-easterly winds Baz knows so well, and attacked Jamie! The north-westerlies here aren't anything like as cold.  I'm not sure I would like to live inland.

 

OK off to cook dinner and see if that gets me any brownie points.  I doubt it.....

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Holloa! Anyone else had the joyful experience of visiting their demented relatives in a 'Covid safe' care home setting?

Happily my Pa recognised me even in plastic bag, mask and gloves, though he found it very puzzling, but understood when I told him about the epidemic. The staff have told him multiple times, but this is forgotten. (Vascular dementia, can still reason, but all memory now severely impaired.)

 

Mother (now past 18 years since 'Alzheimer spectrum' dementia diagnosis) less impressed and told me to 'perform an unpleasant act' off. Probably because I was having to raise my voice as both are somewhat deaf  - both past 90 - but at least that insult made Pa laugh. She glowered at me the whole time I was present, and then told me I was a very naughty boy; so I think she recognised me, as that was a near constant refrain to my childhood. And true.

 

The shipwreck of old age, and your kids turn up in fancy dress to shout at you from a distance...

Edited July 22, 2020 by 34theletterbetweenB&D
mother's insult offended

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Yes, we are back. But....

 

STILL NO GROAN BUTTON!!!

 

I am disgruntled.....

I did ask very nicely for one on Facebook. Perhaps I shoild have said pretty please.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Anyway the day has gone quite well.  Off atv09.00 to Angouleme  and a tour of various swimming pool suppy shopsvand DIY stores provided eveything I needed apart from our new pool liner. That's apparently on the Thursday Camion.  As a result I had to come back via the town and it would have been rude not to call in at the station and see 3 light engines (that's an oxymoron) heading north. Back home, lunch then off to do a bit of paid pool maintenance.  After that a trip to the chemists. As I got there 3 young ladies, were standing chatting by the door before going in. Various parts were wobbling and I had to be very careful not to be distracted. Back home and Beth decreed itvwas beer time so a bottle of Golden Sheep was shared. Before tea she declared it to be Pineau time. It's a hard life even at 32 degrees.  

 

34the letter, I honestly don't know how you cope. I'm glad that both mine still had their full faculties till the end.

 

Jamie

[Coombe Barton]

14 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

I have mixed feelings about the music of Benjamin Britten.

And me. I like the Sea Interludes, the opera less so. In the serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings I find the horn Prologue the most engaging. War Requiem - yes, I like it for both the message and the music. Sang The Beggars Opera at University. Memorable moment with the clarinet lit up a fag during the the performance

Ceremony of Carols, Simple Symphony, Young Person's Guide ... yes I can listen to them.

 

In all I find the diminished seventh/augmented ninth sometimes hard to take.

 

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by Coombe Barton

[New Haven Neil]

Indeed Jamie - having had a recent brush with a very good friend suffering with vascular dementia, no fun at all.  They passed away unexpectedly, which was a blessing in disguise really, as she was terrified of losing more of her faculties.

[TheQ]

It was always somewhat odd my first secondary school , crowded with about 50% army kids, 50miles from the sea and 36 from the nearest sailing club,  had ties with the navy.  It was there however I got the wish to go sailing. 

Even the middle of England  you are only 10 miles from sailing facilities. ( Bodymoor Heath water) 

 

Since then I've always lived within a couple of miles of a sailing club or the sea, from Inverness to the Hebrides to Norfolk to Weston super mare to the Falklands to Saudi..  And many places between. 

[Coombe Barton]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

For our model it was first  unplug from power supply. The display still works as it has a battery. Then it was hold down the on/off button for 5 seconds.  Wait some time , 10 minutes I seem to recall and then plug it back in and turn it on. It will reconnect to the meter which should be getting its time from a mobile phone mast somewhere

The modern day version  of CTRL-ALT-DEL

[Erichill16]

Just sitting down to watch last match of the season, hoping for a miracle.

Speak later, or maybe not depending of results.

Robert

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I have three bucket lists, should be easy, a bit more difficult but still possible and only if I win the lottery/ live to be 120. Another item has been added to the third list. Apparently  South African Railways are now operating a rail safari. You travel via a hotel train to various destinations where you spend a few days on safari using the train as a base. Now lets check those lottery tickets. I couple of items on list one would have been done by now if it wasn't for this damn virus.

[Coombe Barton]

"If this is a short meeting, what would the time be for a long one?”

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2020/07/22/together-for-a-short-while/

[Erichill16]

Squeaky bum time, half time. We’re winning but need teams above us to lose as well but that’s not happening.

All very tense.

Robert

[brianusa]

5 hours ago, TheQ said:

Oooh are we back on

 

Time I got up it was all over!  Can't see any difference!!

     Brian.