brianusa

Never used crutches and use a walking stick/cane on the stairs. Crutches are a bit of a pain so just a stick is more easier as like you, we still rely on a bannister which can be used to haul yourself up or a firm grip going down. It gets easier as time passes! Good luck🙂 Brian.

We would call it an hors d'euvre or befores🙂 Brian

A favourite topic. Our driving, it seems to me that the police are a little over enthusiastic back home. On various occasions on holiday I am always surprised at the number of cameras and 'traffic calming' devices that hinder the right of way. Not that we are free of them over here, but there isn't the number seen in the UK. Freeway speeds are generally posted at 70 mph but that transcends into 80/85 quite frequently. It would appear that if traffic is flowing, the highway patrol turns a blind eye except for the excesses, so it would appear they don't want to interrupt traffic if all is going well. So we can drive comfortably without fear of tickets which makes driving more easy and pleasurable. OTOH our local council has deemed it necessary to lower the city speed to 20 for in town streets at the behest of the mothers of the town! Brian

Good stuff! As I can remember the Cornish Alps from way back, your representations are excellent. Being half Cornish, any modelling of the area is a joy to see! Brian.

WA is a Blue state! Has been for years and has just had an election where blue Dems were reelected once again. Generally it votes against for what anything Red states vote for. It looks to be the same this time so its a reliable thorn in the oppositions side. There are a considerable number of gun shops around though who seem to do good business. Personally I dislike guns intensely, but if some get their jollies that way, so be it. I would hate to have someone take my trains away! Brian

Ventured downtown for the first time in a while. Crowded with touristi along with the local farmers market crowd, so slow along the waterfront but it was nice to see people enjoying our high summer weather in GH. Brian

By way of change our hot spell has returned to normal with a nice cool breeze cooling us all off, which saves on the Air Con. Trouble is, its supposed to get hot again later in the week. But its nice to have the windows open for fresh air for a while! Spent the afternoon catching up on the EMs and listening to Classic FM - ideal summer day - Busy doing nothing, working the whole day through, trying to find things not to do! Uncle Remus😉 Brian.

I know how it is, having been there recently! I got rid of the 'frame, zimmer, walker', and now hobble along with a walking stick. I think I may be stuck like this from now on sadly, but its always good to see others improving. Brian.

Rant away! Call it what you will but life is ever changing whether we like it or not. Just think how much attitudes have changed in our lifetime, for good or bad and it seems to have speeded up in the last few years. Sadly a lot of world citizens haven't and live their lives accordingly and the biggest problem seemingly, is both sides are uncompromising. My age group endured WW2 for starters while moderns have not had total war brought upon them. Certainly some have died in war in a foreign field but the homeland has escaped the horrors of blitzes and the threat of invasion so they know not better, Values have changed with the prosperity that most enjoy, we are healthier, wealthier and invariably better educated. This has been made by possible by higher education values enabling the citizenry to acquire wealth and invest for the future. Sometimes it means leaving town for a job or even leaving the country; but one is usually well rewarded for the effort and worth a try. Sadly not all can jump on this bandwagon and there are some countries that in spite of the worlds progress will never be able to offer anything but poverty, corruption and poor governance as they have done since time began, Almost! Another rant - hopefully not anti PC! Brian.

We recently had $700 worth of refrigerant put in the system - it used to be a lot less! Brian.

Just in time for the great cool off! Its a more normal day here in GH tempwise, much to the relief of everyone including the cat. Although the air has just kicked in at 75 Degrees! Brian.

I've never had any escorts to the toilet but I've always managed to find my way! The current elections would have put me off getting involved in politics; this year has to be one of the worst so far and they seem to be getting worse and worse each year. Brian

Thanks for all the input on this insignificant remnant of the Southern main line. Brian.

Where's 'Mallard' these days? Haven't seen any of his posts for a while! The CRS reports that the Friary stub has been cut back to the maintenance depot so no more docks traffic or specials to the loop. Brian.

Michael, you must be the only honest adherent to this clause.🙂 C'mon do tell, drop a hint at least! Brian.

Major incident on I-5 during rush hour tonight - a truck carrying LNG burned and shut down the road for a few hours. Also, a ferry hit the dock in Seattle which will put it out of action for days. More chaos as it will hinder many commuters to add to their. misery Otherwise, its another hot over 90 degree day here in GH with another tomorrow. This is getting old! Brian.

The line past the loco maintenance facilities has been severed which cuts off the access to what remains of the Southern line to the terminus at Friary and which included the branch to the docks, is no longer part of the network. Some of my earliest memories include catching the morning train to Waterloo, actually Surbiton where we alighted, when visiting relatives there. All that remained until recently was a loop for the docks line, on the site of the former goods yard! Brian.

Sheer laziness! It would mean I have to get up and read the thermometer which is all of a metre away on the wall!🙂 Brian

Another over 90 old degrees in GH! Another one tomorrow and until the weekend when it breaks and back to the normal 70 or so. Town has been busy with tourists trying to negotiate the miniscule roundabouts that have proliferated and tend to slow traffic rather than speed it up. Leave the A/C on for a while yet to cool the upstairs!🙂 Cats gone to bed so we shall soon follow Brian.

Perhaps its an age thing! I was a fully fledged train spotter before 1948 and probably resented any change. It was OK for the other Big Three to go their own way but not my GWR!😇 Brian.

I'll raise you; an old 747 was seen in the last inferno, Most impressive low flying technique for such a huge plane. Brian.

There are so many euphemisms for death and dying these days that being dead almost sounds good! You pass, so it would seem or Be with Jesus or Taken by the Angels. However you are just as dead with out all these niceties either in the fiery pit, an expensive coffin or pine box. Death is as real as birth and life itself; its just that we don't know of it and perhaps just as well!😧 Brian.

For some reason, I can't get to like Manors in black. Whether its the lining or the red name plate, I still see GW green! Same goes for Halls similarly decorated. Black, traditionally was always for goods engines especially when they got a bit grubby as it didn't show much difference. A polished 'namer' painted green and all the brass though, sets it off as befits a noble breed of locomotives🙂! Brian.

Early on in my time in the US, I lived in San Francisco and used to fly back home on charters. One of the gathering places for British expats was a pubby Bar called the Edinburgh Castle. There was a fairly large contingent of ex RAF that met there and they were always dropping old RAF slang, like 'gone for a Burton, jolly good show, etc'. All wore their ex raf ties of course and badges on their blazers; some even had handlebar moustaches!🙄 Brian.