The Night Mail

[Dave Hunt]

Since Jill had recovered from her cold by yesterday morning (she has a much shorter recovery time than me when she has such things) we spent a very convivial evening with friends yesterday enjoying a roast lamb dinner followed by a tasting session of some rather toothsome Scots happy water. All in all a very pleasant time was had but it probably didn’t do the BMI a lot of good.

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

Today is tidying up a lot of loose ends time as at 0730 tomorrow I am due to be at Gobowen hospital for my spinal decompression operation. I’m viewing it with a mixture of anticipation that it will get rid of the virtually constant pain and restore my mobility and anxiety in case anything goes wrong. I do have faith in both the surgeon and the hospital but there is that little nagging doubt….

Anyway, lots to do so onward and upward.

 

Dave 

[Winslow Boy]

11 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Andy is not chunky, he is merely vertically challenged, which makes him look much larger than he really is.

So if he's vertically challenged is he more a Shetland Isles than a British Isles then?

[PhilJ W]

8 hours ago, BR60103 said:

Ah! Fresh country air!

 

 

3 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

Its all Organic!

 

When I first visited Germany nearly fifty years ago we stayed with German friends who took us out to various sites, some quite rural and the fields had just been manured. Someone commented on the smell and our host pointed out it was a natural smell compared to a chemical factory that we had passed earlier. The factory produced medicines and pills.

[Happy Hippo]

20 hours ago, Hroth said:

{gloat}

I've got TWO medium (190g) Easter Eggs.  1 Terrys Choc Orange, 1 Cadburys Twirl.  

 

You do know how Twirls are made don't you?

[bbishop]

24 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

You do know how Twirls are made don't you?

I don't think I want to know.

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

You do know how Twirls are made don't you?

 

There are Twirls and there are "Twirls".  I've seen Hippo "Twirls" and I am sure that the Cadbury ones aren't made in the same way...  🤔

 

[Steamport Southport]

21 hours ago, Hroth said:

{gloat}

I've got TWO medium (190g) Easter Eggs.  1 Terrys Choc Orange, 1 Cadburys Twirl.  And I haven't opened either yet!

{/gloat}

 

I have sampled bits of the shell from two other eggs because I had lunch at the Rectors.  One was a Celebrations egg, which being Galaxy chocolate was revolting.  The other was a "Percy Pig" egg, which was ABSOLUTELY revolting.  If anyone remembers Pink Panther bars*, they'll know what I mean...  I ate the fragments merely to be polite.  Honest!

 

* I've a story concerning these and a group of over-excited children on a tour bus around Knowsley Safari Park on a hot day, which I won't repeat now as it'll put you off your tea...

 

 

I didn't mind the Pink Panther bars, it was whatever the banana flavoured one was that I didn't like. Like a Caramac but banana flavoured.

 

Definitely had a cartoon character on them. Banana Splits?

 

 

Jason

[Hroth]

11 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

I didn't mind the Pink Panther bars, it was whatever the banana flavoured one was that I didn't like. Like a Caramac but banana flavoured.

 

Definitely had a cartoon character on them. Banana Splits?

 

 

Jason

 

Yuck! Don't remember those...

 

But the combination of Pink Panther bars* and lemonade vomited onto the floor of an elderly bus by uncontrolled overexcited children on a hot summers day was an indelible experience, especially when ventilation was unobtainable due to the bus being halfway through a Safari Park...

 

Double Yuck!!

 

* The synthetic strawberry flavouring did the damage...

 

 

Edited April 1 by Hroth

[Steamport Southport]

Ah. Kids on bus trips. We always had one that constantly vomited everywhere we went!

 

A bit like Wendell from The Simpsons

 

 

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

I didn't mind the Pink Panther bars, it was whatever the banana flavoured one was that I didn't like. Like a Caramac but banana flavoured.

 

In Bear's book you just can't beat Cadbury's choccy - that Swiss & Belgian stuff doesn't even come remotely close**

However, at least one Bear is rather partial to white choccy as well; Yorkie Bars are also pretty good (especially the ones with Raisins in).

 

(**iD @iL Dottore inbound.......)

 

 

58 minutes ago, Hroth said:

 

Yuck! Don't remember those...

 

But the combination of Pink Panther bars* and lemonade vomited onto the floor of an elderly bus by uncontrolled overexcited children on a hot summers day was an indelible experience, especially when ventilation was unobtainable due to the bus being halfway through a Safari Park...

 

Double Yuck!!

 

* The synthetic strawberry flavouring did the damage...

 

@Hroth Anyone tell you that you have really mastered the art of painting a picture with words there?  Unfortunately..... 🤢

[J. S. Bach]

6 minutes ago, polybear said:

 ...snip... However, at least one Bear is rather partial to white choccy as well ...snip...

I remember my first white chocolate Easter bunny very well; after that one, they were the only kind that I would ask for and get. Oh, were they so good!

[polybear]

 

1 hour ago, J. S. Bach said:

I remember my first white chocolate Easter bunny very well; after that one, they were the only kind that I would ask for and get. Oh, were they so good!

 

Not so great for the Bunny though.....😢

 

Edited April 1 by polybear

[Happy Hippo]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 

 

Not so great for the Bunny though.....😢

 

I could never understand those individuals who used to have a lucky rabbit's foot....

 

 

[Winslow Boy]

17 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I could never understand those individuals who used to have a lucky rabbit's foot....

 

 

Would you have preferred the ears?

 

I know we're not supposed to say anything- particularly not in Scotland after today, but there are some seriously weird- and when I say weird I do mean it, people out there. Present company excepted of course.

[SM42]

Well we are back home. 

932 miles, 16.5 hours. 

 

The standard of driving on the M25 hasn't improved in the last week. 

 

That and the endless miles of Operation Brock or whatever they are calling it these days didn't do much for my blood pressure. 

 

Why is driving in the UK so fluppin frustrating compared to mainland Europe?

 

Whilst cooling our heels at the Channel Tunnel terminal, the obligatory tour of the duty free shop was undertaken. 

 

Mrs SM42 came out covered in various sampled perfumes. 

 

They claim our beer allowance has gone up to 42 litres ( it was unlimited 5 years ago) and I also found a bottle of wine with a Hippo on it. 

 

Can't post a photo as it was called Fat Ba ( well you get the idea). 

 

I have restored the inner man with a sandwich and some alcohol free beer ( work tomorrow, early start) and to top it off there is some homemade cakes left for us by a friend who kept an eye on the house. 

 

Result. 

 

Andy

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[Happy Hippo]

2 hours ago, SM42 said:

 

 

They claim our beer allowance has gone up to 42 litres ( it was unlimited 5 years ago) and I also found a bottle of wine with a Hippo on it. 

 

Can't post a photo as it was called Fat Ba ( well you get the idea). 

 

 

You mixing me up with Sheepbloke?

[zarniwhoop]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

You mixing me up with Sheepbloke?

I think he was avoiding the site nanny. https://www.fatbastard.com/ Let's see if this gets through (age check to click on, then picture of a hippo acting as a parachute or balloon to carry a bottle,

[jamie92208]

A quick good moaning g and good wishes to our squadron leader.  I be

I've that his bedside reading is due to be, Midland Loco sheds by Hawkins and Reeve. 

 

Jamie

[Happy Hippo]

56 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

A quick good moaning g and good wishes to our squadron leader.  I be

I've that his bedside reading is due to be, Midland Loco sheds by Hawkins and Reeve. 

 

Jamie

He is going to watch Back to the Future.

[J. S. Bach]

Yes, prayers for Air Vice Marshall Hunt.

[Happy Hippo]

After visiting Blist's Hill Victorian Town my afternoon has been taken up carrying out more repairs.

 

My grandson had kindly brought his scooter with him as it was unridable with a rather wonky back wheel.

 

Removing the wheel revealed that all the plastic insert which carried the axle through the roller bearings had collapsed, and the roller bearings were now just a pair of grooved metal washers.

 

Not having any roller bearings to hand, I did manage to find a large lump of Nylon rod which was turned down, and bored to 10 mm id.  This was then force fitted into the scooter wheel.

 

A scrap bit of 1/2" dia brass rod was then turned down to 10 mm,  and bored 8 mm for the axle.

 

Not as sophisticated as the original, definitely a more agricultural repair.  However, it is a lot sturdier than the original, and should now last until the end of the scooter's life.

 

On handing it back to the owner, I asked if it was ok?

 

'It'll do', was the reply.

[SM42]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

 

On handing it back to the owner, I asked if it was ok?

 

'It'll do', was the reply.

 

Now you're starting to sound like ground crew. 

 

Andy

[Winslow Boy]

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

After visiting Blist's Hill Victorian Town my afternoon has been taken up carrying out more repairs.

 

My grandson had kindly brought his scooter with him as it was unridable with a rather wonky back wheel.

 

Removing the wheel revealed that all the plastic insert which carried the axle through the roller bearings had collapsed, and the roller bearings were now just a pair of grooved metal washers.

 

Not having any roller bearings to hand, I did manage to find a large lump of Nylon rod which was turned down, and bored to 10 mm id.  This was then force fitted into the scooter wheel.

 

A scrap bit of 1/2" dia brass rod was then turned down to 10 mm,  and bored 8 mm for the axle.

 

Not as sophisticated as the original, definitely a more agricultural repair.  However, it is a lot sturdier than the original, and should now last until the end of the scooter's life.

 

On handing it back to the owner, I asked if it was ok?

 

'It'll do', was the reply.

He's not from up north is he by any chance.