Early Risers.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Commiserations to Neil on your recent losses.

Staining readily here and has been all morning.  It may brighten up this afternoon.

Late to bed, late waking up, late getting up, late breakfast and late here.  Also got a splitting headache which parrotseatemall hasn't shifted yet.

Butcher visited yesterday and some some lovely beef and lamb steaks and also sausages are now residing in the freezer.

New hoover acquisition is on hold until the Dyson dies completely.  If I keep hitting it hard enough that shouldn't be much longer.  

Nothing else to report so I bid you farewell for now,

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

[newbryford]

This was the distraction:

66731 "Captain Tom Moore" working 6S94 Wembley-Irvine clay tanks.

 

 

RIP Captain Sir Tom

[Simon G]

Commiserations to Blackrat on the passing of his MiL.  My MiL passed away nearly 19 years ago and I still miss her as we also got on really well.

 

Not much going on here today as it has rained all morning and shows no sign of stopping.  Some ballasting has been done, with more to follow if the rain continues this afternoon.  It is slow progress at the moment getting the track bed ready for the ballasting, which is comparatively quick!

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Condolences Neil on the death of his MIL.  It always make me wonder when so many of us seem to end up with very nice MILs just where all the jokes used to come from. or were we the exceptions that proved the rule?

 

It seems the 'N' continues to be very absent from what is officially called the NHS.  Our GP surgery has so far been rather like the Windmill Theatre and it has never closed although it is somewhat short of dancing girls etc. (but being distinctly human I shouldn't fail to mention some very cuddly looking Practice Nurses and the GD tells me there are also some rather fanciable male doctors there).   And no queues outside but originally strict instructions not to arrive early for your appointment and currently similar hints but some seating available in the waiting area - probably a consequence of the wintry weather in recent months as the outdoor blood letting tents has also been dismantled for the colder season.   And, seemingly compared with many places, we have had to wait for our Covid jabs while lower priority groups are getting attention elsewhere,  I am called for my first shot of Oxford AZ juice at 08.12 on Saturday morning.   Mrs Stationmaster - currently a numerical year younger than me although in reality only  few months behind - asked if she could have one too and that was duly confirmed.  it will be interesting to see if there is any sort of scrummage outside the door as a result of those unable to read watches or clocks stupidly turning up well before time.

 

Meanwhile the weather stands reasonably dry with occasional peeks of sunshine (very occasional) and it obviously isn'r misty either as the oligarch's palace is well visible across the valley.  Anonymity seems to still remain protected elsewhere.   Have a good day one and all and stay safe.

[New Haven Neil]

Supportive rays sent to the other Neil - a difficult time for a bereavement. 

[New Haven Neil]

To balance Mike's comments about MiL's, or M'siL.....I have two, and they're both evil bitches!  Step-MiL is probably the worst, but she's on the other side of the world thankfully.  Mrs NHN will be very happy never to see either again.  Life, eh.

[petethemole]

I duly went for my jab yesterday.  I'd assumed it was at the surgery but Mrs mole looked up their website and told me they were using the University medical centre, which I checked but was dubious about as the last update was 6th Jan.  After a visit to Sainsbury I got a bus to the Uni with plenty of time to spare if needed, which it was as the jabs were indeed being done at the surgery.  Another bus took me there.  (we have a local bus company, Unilink, that uses the Uni as a transport hub).  I got there a few minutes late and joined a queue waiting for the door to open.  We were processed quickly, with at least four rooms being used, and received the AZ vaccine.  The surgery is down a short, narrow side street and shares a car park with a Co-op; the parking and access by car was chaotic.  I have no side effects other than the slightly achey arm at the jab site, which is normal.

 

I have an uncontrollable urge to install Windows 10....

 

Stay elfy,

Pete

[laurenceb]

Condolences Neil (BR), it wouls seem you had a star MIL

[skipepsi]

This may seem slightly weird but I am in the habit of thanking those who wish us good night with the appropriate icon. This then shows along with others who have done the same. The following day nothing shows at all of any thanks I left yet others are still recorded Any ideas?

[Chris116]

38 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

It will be interesting to see if there is any sort of scrummage outside the door as a result of those unable to read watches or clocks stupidly turning up well before time.

I fully understand your point of view and until about two years ago would I have agreed with you. However since then I have been taking my wife to a local hospital on a regular basis. The TfL website says the journey will take 20 minutes to which I add 10 minutes at each end walking to and from the bus stops plus 10 minutes wait for the bus and 10 minutes to allow for any delays. So we always used to leave home an hour before the appointment. In the last two years we have been half an hour late and thirty five minutes early. With the importance of not being late we now leave 90 minutes before the appointment and have arrived between 45 minutes and five minutes early. I just don't know how to arrive at any consistent time. 

[Barry O]

@skipepsi  it happens to me too.. it must be the resident "iconeatingsoftware" bug?

 

@BlackRat - yes my MiL was a star.. otherwise known as the DoB (Daft Old Bat) age was brilliant and it used to annoy her indoors as me and the DoB would do things which were supposedly "outside he comfort zone"  I miss her a lot.

 

 

After a long walk to the post office and the butchers I have had a home made meat with a very small amount of potato pie from the butchers for lunch.. excellent. I must also try their "potted meat" 

 

Have a good afternoon/ morning/night wherever you are!

 

Baz

[newbryford]

36 minutes ago, petethemole said:

 

 

I have an uncontrollable urge to install Windows 10....

 

 

Either that or wear a tinfoil hat........

Edited February 3, 2021 by newbryford

[TheQ]

The Late MIL I'd describe as "Mostly Harmless" the worrying thing is she died 20 years ago,, SWMBO reaches the age MIL died next year.

Family history of heart disease, all death certs have had it shown....

[Tony_S]

MiL seems to,quite like me now but at one time everything was wrong about me and she hadn’t even met me. After Aditi and I got married she still wasn’t happy. Eventually she got more accepting. I knew everything was ok when she starting telling me about how she wasn’t happy with something her beloved little brother had done. 

[simontaylor484]

I lost Mil 10 years ago to Cancer she was only 49.

She used to love winding me up and i used to give enough back all in the best possible taste.

I once bought her a witches hat from Tesco and she put it on and took it in good sport like the time i bought fil a sympathy card for a wedding anniversary. 

 

[PeterBB]

Neil (Black Rat) condolences - great to hear that she was a'good egg'.

 

The Q - hope that history does not repeat itself and wishing Aditi many more happy years.

 

Covid jabs.  Dave and Jill - what a nightmare for you, possibly one of the problems of the 'double edged' attack viz the NHS and then/or previous the GP

 

Simon - seems you have very reason to be 'pi**ed' off from what you are experiencing.

 

Electricity complaint follow-up.  Had a letter with apology and then a letter this am asking to make an appointment for a visit to read  the solar power meter stating that they had twice visited and not gained entry and would cut off if we did not reply.  Not that chuffed as one or other of us has been in constant 24 hour residence for months.  The number provided asked for responses to automated questions but seems incapable of recording correctly spoken English - boy was I mad and SWMBO informed me that I had eventually replied to said automated system quite angrily.  Eventually the option was hang on for a person ... so I thought let's see how long that takes ...  it was answered after 15 minutes by a very pleasant lady who I politely thanked and asked if she would be willing to accept a complaint before proceeding with request.  She said that she would do so willingly when told it was about the automated system.  We now have a date for 'the reading check visit' to which the lady then added - if you are not going to be there please ring nearer the time to let us know.  Thanked her again - wish the company was a god as she was.

 

Mil - have had two - the latest was a lovely lady, the first thing that comes to mind on the other, admitted into hospital, was her reply stating that she did not have a daughter when her daughter rang to see how she was.  Fortunately her brother was on the other line and confirmed that she was in fact her daughter.  As you can imaging this, in my experience, was not a surprise.

Edited February 3, 2021 by PeterBB
Additional information.

[AndyB]

2 hours ago, petethemole said:

I duly went for my jab yesterday.  I'd assumed it was at the surgery but Mrs mole looked up their website and told me they were using the University medical centre, which I checked but was dubious about as the last update was 6th Jan.  After a visit to Sainsbury I got a bus to the Uni with plenty of time to spare if needed, which it was as the jabs were indeed being done at the surgery.  Another bus took me there.  (we have a local bus company, Unilink, that uses the Uni as a transport hub).  I got there a few minutes late and joined a queue waiting for the door to open.  We were processed quickly, with at least four rooms being used, and received the AZ vaccine.  The surgery is down a short, narrow side street and shares a car park with a Co-op; the parking and access by car was chaotic.  I have no side effects other than the slightly achey arm at the jab site, which is normal.

 

I have an uncontrollable urge to install Windows 10....

 

Stay elfy,

Pete

 

Hi Peter.

Great you got your jab.

If you ever need it there's a map available to help you. I'm sure you know your way around, though.

https://maps.southampton.ac.uk/#18/50.93553/-1.39958/bus

 

You can call up a variety if layers. The link I've provided has the Unilink routes and bus arrival times for each stop. Coverage is up to Eastleigh and down to the port. 

 

From memory the coastal aerial imagery pulls in quite a high definition data set.

 

[Ian Abel]

10 hours ago, pH said:

clearly marked 'C.O.D.' and drove off!

 

Who knows what tomorrow may bring!

Maybe some C.H.I.P.S  

[Ian Abel]

6 hours ago, BlackRat said:

Often the butt of my recycled MiL jokes, she put up with me for over 35 years with good humour. We had a laugh yesterday talking about when I first met her and what she must of thought (she had heard so much about 'Marines' ) and after 2 weeks I was asking for her daughters hand in marriage.

 

That she didn't bat an eyelid, and threw herself into arranging our marriage 6 months later speaks volumes.

 

She was a good woman, and I for one will miss her.

Sorry to hear of your loss. Remembering the good times can help ease the pain for sure, but those near and dear to us leave an emptiness always...

[Ian Abel]

HUMP day...

 

Another "nothing to see here" day yesterday with more of the same today looks like.

Will be going for groceries later and perhaps a short walk with Whitney. Expected to get a LOT colder over the next few days so walks may be curtailed.

 

-8 and sunny. Expecting a high of +1.

 

Stay safe and well.

[TheQ]

Amazon are obviously having a bad week, they sent two parcels from MK for here, one arrived , the other arrived in Enfield!! Where according to Amazon, they corrected the address...? Since the address is correct on the web site and the other parcel arrived here, why are they saying I've got to correct it?

 

What failed to arrive? Yep, the tail lights that were missing from the last order...

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I see Eurostar is on its uppers, all down to covid which has caused a 95% drop in traffic. Having never been married I of course have never had a M-i-L. From what I recall of my various girlfriends mothers there was never any that were hostile indeed one or two fussed over me as if I was their son and not their daughters boyfriend, much to the chagrin of their daughters. One in particular the girlfriend was reluctant for me to see when I did meet her I could understand the girlfriends reluctance for me to see her. She had a house full of cats that stank to high heaven and her language was disgusting. I could understand why the girlfriends parents were divorced and she lived with her dad who was one of the nicest people you could ever meet. 

[PhilJ W]

19 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

The BBC has now removed the reference to him dying "from" then later "with" Covid.  Their reporting now states simply that he has passed away aged 100 having suffered pneumonia.  They confirm he did test positive for Covid however a statement from his family advises : 

It seems that the virus may not in fact have been responsible for his passing at all.  

 

Some news sources are still saying that its corvid. However he had pneumonia first and its likely that was the cause of death. When I was working I also dealt with pensions and there was always several copies of death certificates coming in every month and many had pneumonia as cause of death or a contributory reason. If covid-19 had not happened he still would have contracted pneumonia and its consequences would have been the same. 

 I did note that when HM knighted Sir Tom that it was one of her few if only public engagements last year, good for you ma'am.

Edited February 3, 2021 by PhilJ W

[Simon G]

I was pleased to get the phone call today inviting me to get the Covid jab on Saturday morning.  I was happy to accept!

 

The rain finally relented a bit this afternoon, so we managed a short walk in a light drizzle.  Better than no walk at all.

[petethemole]

2 hours ago, AndyB said:

 

Hi Peter.

Great you got your jab.

If you ever need it there's a map available to help you. I'm sure you know your way around, though.

https://maps.southampton.ac.uk/#18/50.93553/-1.39958/bus

 

You can call up a variety if layers. The link I've provided has the Unilink routes and bus arrival times for each stop. Coverage is up to Eastleigh and down to the port. 

 

From memory the coastal aerial imagery pulls in quite a high definition data set.

 

Thanks, but I've been a regular user of their two main routes U1 and U6 since we moved here in 2006 and occasionally before that, so I'm familiar with them.  I could get a bus from near home (5mins walk) to near work (about 2 mins walk).   It's a very good service.. The U6 used to run through the Swaythling Arch using saloons but the service was upgraded to deckers for higher loadings and re-routed to a stop further away.