Early Risers.

[iL Dottore]

12 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Ads
Blocking them?
I can't be ar5ed.

It all depends on what browser you are using. Internet explorer, Google Chrome  and Apple’s Safari all have a vested interest in bombarding you with ads. Firefox is by far the better browser (for many reasons), furthermore a simple add on to Firefox solves the problem of unwanted ads for once and for all (Firefox also has an add-on which allows you to manage the JavaScript running on the webpages that you visit. A very, very useful little add-on it is as well).

12 hours ago, JohnDMJ said:

So these new ads won't be moving anytime soon, then?!

These excruciating puns are very definitely the outward manifestation of a very, very sick and twisted mind. If left untreated, who knows what this could lead  to: hyperbole? alliteration?  anadiplosis? or even - gasp! shock! horror! - Litotes!!!
You definitely need treatment, John. And you are lucky, as a trained clinical psychologist I can provide you with online support and treatment at very reasonable prices! 

12 hours ago, brianusa said:

Good point, but for most herein unless they are well into their first century, choc and cream with white roofs are the order of the day.  At least on my railway!

       Brian.

You sir, are a gentleman of taste and breeding!

11 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Empirically, at least some RMwebbers must be of a demographic that does click on those ads from time to time, otherwise you would not see them so frequently. I find that deliberately looking at unoffensive websites (preferably the same ones) makes it (mostly) predictable and even easier to ignore.

This of course, raises the horrible possibility that some unscrupulous or asocial RMWebber will deliberately visit a number of totally on suitable websites (such as naked hippo mudwrestling) leading to oodles of completely inappropriate ads that pop-up as the innocent and pure amongst us try and read the various posts on this website.

10 hours ago, laurenceb said:

I think I about 12 before I mastered shoelaces...

I think that I managed that a few years earlier, although in my case it was a question of needing to do so in order to survive. One had to change for PE at school which entailed changing leather shoes for plimsolls and woe betide any boy asking for help in tying his shoelaces. Actually, it was quite a marathon getting ready for school back then: school tie: properly put on and knotted; shorts with button flies: properly put on and done up; leather belt: ditto; leather shoes: shined and put on with knotted shoelaces. Children have it much easier nowadays with their trainers and other items with simple zip or Velcro fastenings (although I suspect, at my school, even if Velcro and zips had been around, they would not have been permitted as they would’ve been perceived as “not contributing to building moral character”)

9 hours ago, AndyID said:

Definitely beer-thirty. As my learned friend on the left has already mentioned the weather is pretty fabby here in Interlaken (not the one in Switzerland - the one in Idaho)...

Presumably, the only similarity between the place in Idaho and the place in Switzerland is the name. Or is it one of these interesting small American towns that were settled by immigrants all from the same region and which end up being miniversions of the immigrants’ ancestral town, but in the USA?

6 hours ago, AndyID said:

I'm not sure if they are still available but there used to be "privacy screens" that you could attach to your monitor. They limited the viewing angle so that it was only possible to see what was on the screen if you were looking straight at it. Viewed from the side the monitor just looked black.

Yes, they are still available. In fact, recently, I was involved in putting together an online training for information security and such screens were declared to be mandatory for those people travelling for business and working on the go.

3 hours ago, TheQ said:

Ben the insistent Collie has been patrolled,  it's cool out there,  blue skies and with the easterly wind cold enough to bring the heating on. 

Ben's alarm clock has been blown by SWMBO getting up two hours earlier than normal. 

Mrs iD, after numerous weeks working from home, got up early today and went to the office. Schotty is most discombobulated by this unusual change to his routine. He is very much a creature of habit

2 hours ago, chrisf said:

...Mrs Trellis from North Wales is not only the writer of letters in ISIHAC but the nickname given to a regular writer of letters to MRJ...

Your reference to Brenda, was a quote that I was not familiar with (So thanks for the clarification).  To be honest, despite reading MRJ off-and-on on a fairly regular basis over the past years I have never noticed a Mrs Trellis from North Wales writing to MRJ.  Surely at least one letter from her has been published?

2 hours ago, polybear said:

I use Firefox as a browser and don't get any ads on RMWeb at all; I'm not a gold member either.

HTH

As mentioned above  Firefox is definitely the “go to“ browser for me. I am of the firm opinion that, on so many levels, it offers many, many distinct advantages over its rivals. Not least the ability to customise the browser with various add-ons, so that the browser works at the way you want it and not the way Google, Microsoft and Apple want you to use it.

2 hours ago, AndyID said:

Quietly: I do (sort of) play the occasional guitar.

 

Might it be possible to form an online ER's Group? The technology could be challenging but it might be quite entertaining if we could actually pull it off.

 

Discuss

Oh, please sign me up for this. However, I see two major hurdles to overcome, items that must absolutely be resolved before we can start making music.

The first, what sort of music are we going to play. Going by the musical tastes, as posted by many ERs  I suspect it might be something along the lines of a folk rock heavy-metal jazz fusion.

The second, and probably the most difficult one to resolve, what do we call ourselves? Sectorisation has a nice ring to it, but will probably annoy those model BR steam or The Big Four. Four Foot Eight and One Half also has a nice ring, but excludes those whose affection run towards narrow gauge.  Permanent Way is probably a name we could all live with. Any other suggestions?

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

I can only do a bow tie if I have a Youtube video on screen in front of me. As we won't be going on any cruises for a while and we no longer get invited to Masonic dinners by my outlaws I don't think I'll need to practice again soon.

 

Jamie

That’s a pity, Jamie. Putting on a dinner jacket and bowtie for a formal event is one of only a few rare opportunities for men to dress up and exude elegance and sophistication. Full Highland dress is another opportunity to show off “man bling“, but outside of certain well defined venues does tend to look very much out of place (although if you are brave enough, you can wear a tweed jacket, plain shirt, kilt, day sporran and hose. I’ve done so to visit friends)

Have a great Thursday

iD

[Tony_S]

34 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

lines of a folk rock heavy-metal jazz fusion.

Not another Led Zeppelin tribute band !

[Tony_S]

35 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

And you are lucky, as a trained clinical psychologist ...

Aditi used to have to manage quite a few of those, (and counsellors too). 

[Joseph_Pestell]

39 minutes ago, chrisf said:

 

As far as I can tell the Paris - Madrid sleeper was taken off at the end of 2013.  There is apparently a couchette train which goes via the Pyrenees. 

 

I am far from averse to sleeper trains.  When Bill and I went to Prague in September and I discovered a sleeper from Zurich to Prague, that was it - we built the trip round it.  Having started doodling this jaunt only yesterday, I'm sure that I have more research to do and it wil not happen till 2022 because I have some unfinished business called Dublin in 2021! 

 

Chris

 

I have found an all high-speed option leaving Paris-Lyon at 14.07 and getting to Madrid Atocha at 00.02 (change at Barcelona Sants 20.34 - 21.15).

 

I have not looked at Eurostar but it should not be difficult to get to Paris in time for a 14.07 departure.

 

This would be a full-fat priced ticket, I suspect. There are some very good prices available for Paris - Barcelona/Madrid if you are willing to take a slower train (€60).

[AndrewC]

Good moaning all. Trying to play catch up and failing miserably. I've had a few days off to just recharge. A few beers and evenings in the pub shed with afternoons in the garden. Managed to get out and about yesterday. George's prescription renewed. Starbucks for more espresso beans. Orange shed for some paint and stuff. Most of what I needed there was out of stock. They didn't even have a bloody bag of pavior sand. 

 

Feeling a bit sorry for myself today. At this moment we should have just boarded a Thalys from Brussel midi heading to Amsterdam. Instead I'm painting the Forth railway bridge shed. It is a pain staking process as I've had to sand down the whole thing as well since the old paint was flaking off in long strings. I have a feeling the wood was a bit too green when I originally treated it. Depending on my back and shoulder I may get half way finished the first coat today. Weee. 

 

I see my add-blocker now shows 9 identified artefacts on this page alone. Getting silly now. Originally it was 2. 

 

My break is over, back to the shed and another hour or so of painting. 

Enjoy the day. 

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

A bright sunny, bl**dy hot, day yet again.  The n bins have bin done but it is a day later than normal due to the Bank Holiday on Monday. (Why the heck do we still call them 'Bank Holidays?  judging by the days on which our local branch doesn't open every Thursday is a Bank Holiday, except at present when they appear to have even more days at home.)

 

The expert on travel by rail between London and Marrakech is the lad although his journey was in the opposite direction.  I think that owing to the connectional (lack of) situation - or possibluy a wish to do some exploration - he stayed overnight in R Tangier and he also did an overnight stop in both Spain and southern(ish) France.   Even if you put in long dates all the more useful mainland European timetable planning sites currently seem to be offline for, no doubt, obvious reasons,  In my past experience undoubtedly the best site for international timetable planning was that run by DB (also good for hotels) but due to the shambolic way in which NR run the UK network do not, repeat not, place any faith in the DB site for weekend or Bank Holiday train times in Britain because it works on UIC timescales whereas NR doesn't seem to adhere to its own timescales let alone to what it has internationally agreed to do.  SNCF tend ot be very anti when it comes to sleeper services, I think they regard them as a threat to placing ever more orders for under utilised TGVs

 

No big plans, or even little plans for today although some aspects of the garden need attention but I fear it will be too hot to encourage the spending of any time out there.  We should of course actually be enjoying a nice sea breeze although we currently would seem to be still alongside in Harwich.  But if Captain Bob is on his mettle the ship should sail later today all being well, he no more likes being in port than we do.

 

Have a good day one and all and try to stay safe even if a substantial part of the country appears to be doing exactly the opposite as they rush to join the queue for a Darwin Award.

Edited May 28, 2020 by The Stationmaster

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Well its afternoon now but I've just spent more than half an hour talking to my sister on the phone. My niece visited my brother at the weekend and was shocked that he'd lost so much weight. He was overweight back in February at about 20 stone but since then he's lost about a quarter or more of that. Today he's on dialysis but tomorrow when he's at home I'll give him a call.

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

If they are flying back by EJ.  I think they have to get a connecting bus from Athens

And if its Ryanair the connecting bus will be from Timbuktu.

[Tony_S]

I wonder if Chris has considered buses. I am always amazed when in any reasonably sized town in Southern Europe that there are coaches departing for some quite long distance destinations. Not at the moment I suppose. There is normally an overnight coach from Paris to Madrid. When we have driven we now find what would have involved one overnight stop now has two or three. 

Edited May 28, 2020 by Tony_S

[chrisf]

Chris hasn't - yet.   Before anyone asks, he will not entertain any thought of flying and still finds it difficult to conceive that flying can be fun, as his e-friend Harry maintains it is but will not explain why!  The objective of the jolly jaunt remains Marrakech but there is plenty of Spain to be seen and sampled on the way.

 

Chris

[roundhouse]

Afternoon.

 

Just received a reply from our MP to my email re last weekends events. Its a generic reply  that is understandable with having to respond ot over 500 emails plus letters and telephone calls but it was as anticipated backing those in power so a suitable reply has been drafted and then left for a day or two to fine tune it.

 

Brewdog are doing a beer https://www.brewdog.com/uk/barnard-castle-eye-test

 

Of course, I have had to put in a pre order to make sure that I dont miss out incase they are short sighted on the production run.

Edited May 28, 2020 by roundhouse

[NGT6 1315]

Cheers all.

 

Gosh, did I mention I needed some off-work time? Well, the past couple of days were fairly quiet on the transport front for a change. That being said, tomorrow night might turn out to be interesting...
 

Following a suspected WW2 munitions find at an engineering site near Leipzig Hbf and several densely built-up living quarters in its vicinity, it is likely that an evacuation of up to 18,000 residents may become necessary during disposal operations. Consequently, a number of standby tram and bus turns were whipped up on short notice to provide additional evacuation capacities, and I was asked whether I could take an overnight shift from 2145 till 0335 on Saturday. 
 

Anyway, I’m enjoying this day off and we’re set for a bit of a BBQ tonight.

 

Later.

[Happy Hippo]

6 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

I have never been that good with shoelaces and other forms of knot. It was a major disincentive to joining the Scouts.

 

I still can't do a bow tie.

If you can tie a shoe lace then you can tie a bow tie as it is the same knot!

[Happy Hippo]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

This of course, raises the horrible possibility that some unscrupulous or asocial RMWebber will deliberately visit a number of totally on suitable websites (such as naked hippo mudwrestling) leading to oodles of completely inappropriate ads that pop-up as the innocent and pure amongst us try and read the various posts on this website.

I'll have you know that my that website is subscription only.

[Tony_S]

10 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

If you can tie a shoe lace then you can tie a bow tie as it is the same knot!

That is what I keep telling myself and I am sure I could tie a lovely bow on my shoes without thinking. I never really wanted to go anywhere where formal dress was required to dine but it seemed mean not to when Aditi wanted to go on cruises where formal nights occurred ( I know about the cafeteria casual dress but Aditi liked her occasional opportunity to wear a posh frock).

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I have been wearing shoes with Velcro fastenings for several years now so I'm not sure that I can still tie shoelaces. At one time I could happily tie a bow tie as I used to attend several 'bow tie' events every year. Nowadays I do not wear any ties, I hate the bl@@dy things.

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

I have not looked at Eurostar but it should not be difficult to get to Paris in time for a 14.07 departure.

Depends when you plan on travelling really.  Currently there seems to be a requirement for a 14-day stopover in France .....\

 

48 minutes ago, chrisf said:

finds it difficult to conceive that flying can be fun,

A problem SWMBO and myself have; she loathes it but I love it.  I enjoy travel most of the time by most means though not as the rear-seat passenger in a car.  I don't enjoy being in the middle seat between SWMBO - who is larger than a size 12 - and a total stranger but when I have flown alone and in the window seat I thoroughly enjoy it.  Watching the planet go by beneath me, watching the occasionally stunning effects as the daylight first arrives or as it leaves, the sensation of being able to travel in time on a long-haul flight (24 hours travel time but heading north as little as 12 hours elapsed on the ground because of the time zone difference) and just sometimes there is a fellow passenger with whom I strike up a conversation and remain friends with long afterwards.

 

34 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

If you can tie a shoe lace then you can tie a bow tie as it is the same knot!

But knot in the same place!  I can always tie a shoe-lace but never a bow-tie.  I cannot see what I am tying at my neck and cannot for the life of me use a mirror to tie a knot!  The work tie is a clip-on and if I must wear a regular tie it is knotted low down where I can see it then slid into place.  Enough of my problems!

 

29 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I'll have you know that my that website is subscription only.

I wouldn't know!!!

 

Afternoon all.  A chilly start at the House of Fun as the Beasterly Wind has returned but it's fine and warm now.  The wind is expected to stay with us for some time - as is the fine warm weather - so something more than a short-sleeve shirt might be required at 05.00 when I leave home.

 

A surprise greeted me today.  Upon arriving home there was a very cute little box of eggs on the kitchen bench.  I then placed a couple of purchases made at the corner shop into the fridge and found an unexpected quantity of newly-arrived fresh meat.  I checked my account with the supplier - one of the hotel / catering suppliers we are currently using while their normal customer base is furloughed - and had no order expected.  I checked the bank and found no charge applied.  A swift exchange of emails with the supplier brought forth the information that they had become slightly over-stocked after the initial panic-buying rush had subsided and so, based upon our recent orders, they have gifted us, free of charge, packs of sausages, bacon, black pudding, burgers, duck breasts and a whole chicken!  It saves it going to waste, as they said.  A very nice surprise indeed.  Ironically we already have most of the above booked for delivery tomorrow so it's a good thing there is space in the freezer.  And a good thing that this supplier uses vac-packs intended for freezing.  Probably also a good thing that I invested in a single-use BBQ tray yesterday intended for the weekend; we are not permitted BBQs according to the tenancy but with so few others currently living here we can probably get away with it once.  

 

SWMBO continues to WFH and remains anxious about the prospect of WFW once more when ever that is required of her.  I'm sure she will be fine when it happens even if the first day back on the train / bus is a testing experience.  WFH cannot last for ever in a role such as hers.  One of her team is already back WFW under her remote direction and with a situation-specific risk-assessment in place.  

 

Tis time for a muggersomething.  After which I shall turn the air blue with a bad case of Fox Ache as I attempt to fit very small things into very small holes.  I'll let you all know how that goes.  

 

Stay well.  

 

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by Gwiwer

[newbryford]

27 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I'll have you know that my that website is subscription only.

 

I hope that to subscribe - you pay us...……………..

[Gwiwer]

Cute little box of eggs as mentioned above 

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

10 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

I hope that to subscribe - you pay us...……………..

I'll PM you a link for the 'Oiled hippo brides in yellow' website.

 

Access will be free to you, as you're a mate.

[roundhouse]

1 hour ago, NGT6 1315 said:

Cheers all.

 

Gosh, did I mention I needed some off-work time? Well, the past couple of days were fairly quiet on the transport front for a change. That being said, tomorrow night might turn out to be interesting...
 

Following a suspected WW2 munitions find at an engineering site near Leipzig Hbf and several densely built-up living quarters in its vicinity, it is likely that an evacuation of up to 18,000 residents may become necessary during disposal operations. Consequently, a number of standby tram and bus turns were whipped up on short notice to provide additional evacuation capacities, and I was asked whether I could take an overnight shift from 2145 till 0335 on Saturday. 
 

Anyway, I’m enjoying this day off and we’re set for a bit of a BBQ tonight.

 

Later.

Some 20 or so years ago the company that i was working for had a German secretary on a site in West London. An unexploded bomb was uncovered and she went into a meeting to tell them to evacuate the site and said ' we have found one of ours'. She had a great sense of humour. One of the best companies that I have worked for but they were very profitable and cash rich so got taken over by one of the big boys very hastily to thwart a deal to merge with another company.

[Coombe Barton]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

I'll have you know that my that website is subscription only.

So that's how he affords O Gauge!

 

[45156]

On 27/05/2020 at 10:58, iL Dottore said:

The ensemble of TBT, Barry Cryer and Graeme Garden plus guest, under the watchful eye of either Humph or Jack Dee was about as perfect as you can get.  Colin Sell’s musical ability

I have twice met both Barry Cryer, who is very deaf indeed now, and Colin Sell.  They are both very genuine people, and Barry was having a cigarette outside the theatre where he was appearing, and Colin was having a breather downwind.  They both hoped I was enjoying the show (which I was, even though the material was about a century old - but the delivery was faultless), and they both thanked me for coming to see them perform. 

[Simon G]

Afternoon all,

It is finally warm enough here for the shorts and T shirt to make their first UK outing of the year.  They aren’t very glamorous as the T shirt is a old work one from nearly 30 years ago, and the the shorts are faded, or as we would say in modelling parlance, weathered!

 

Garden activities have continued today with the erection of a cane obelisk for the runner beans to climb up, followed by planting of said runner beans.  Weeding around the parsnips has been done.

 

Last night, I again went down to the beach for my 10pm walk, and collected more seaweed for composting.  The only person I met was an acquaintance from further down the lane, who told me about a family who own a beach bungalow as a second home.  During lockdown, they have been backwards and forwards to this bungalow, totally ignoring the lockdown.  They were reported to the police, who appear to have taken no action, as now they are also bringing friends and family to stay.  The owners local nickname is “Del Monte”, as he often arrives in his own helicopter, but now they appear to have been renamed the “Cummings and Goings”.  Needless to say, they are not very popular here just now!

[PeterBB]

Hi Guys,

IN view of recent problems accessing the site with a 'reset password' needed each time I have come straight to the end hoping that at last I can actually comment and it be accepted.  I will therefore leave it at this close it down and see if after totally resetting my computer email/web access I will be able to return if I log out.

 

Just a note.  At times I have been able to read but not comment  but then totally cut off.  Hopefully I will see you all again this time.

 

Cheers, Peter

 

[PeterBB]

Thanks for your comment guys - I have been able to come back so will attempt to catch up on all my followed aspects.