Early Risers.

[The Lurker]

Well a slow day for me today, went out last night and rather overdid the red wine, hence was jaded this morning. Feel OK now.

 

Younger Lurker's birthday today. The Mrs had laid out his presents and cards in the lounge for him to open when he got up. "Which ones are mine?" he asked. He was pleased when we told him they were all his! He was less impressed when the first one he opened had three long sleeve t shirts in it. Not the sort of thing to get a 6 year old boy's pulse racing!

[railsquid]

Makes you wonder what went on in so-called hump yards...

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Something went horribly wrong with the quote function resulting in total garbage, let's see if this posts at all correctly.

 

 

Edited December 17, 2014 by 34theletterbetweenB&D

[Oldddudders]

Afternoon all

 

I haven't even managed to update back to my last post on Sunday, so apologies for ignoring your news, good or bad! I did note Andy B's good news - sounds just up your street!

 

Back in la Sarthe with Sherry after a really rather hectic trip, as advised earlier, but we had some conspicuous successes to crow about, too.

 

Sunday evening's dinner party at an Italian place in Torquay went rather well. I think the ratio of females to males was about 2:1, and most were a lot younger than me. Variously, there were legs to die for, and cleavage to knock your eyes out, with most clad in quasi-Santa outfits, making the experience one to savour! Oh, Sherry, and our companion Dominique, were dressed in entirely sober and sedate fashions!

 

Monday we had an appointment with the Superintendent Registrar, who was charming, accepted all my documentation re Deb, despite most being in French, of course - and so we now have a date to be married! Flushed with success, we then toddled down to the nearby (Lutyens!) pub to enquire about a reception, imagining that we'd get a polite response, but "Fred does all those and he's not here until Thursday" or some such. Wrong. The young man was helpful, knowledgeable, and we have paid a deposit!

 

Back at the flat we packed up our goods and chattels and headed off for Plymouth late afternoon. Signage to the ferry-port was good, and we were sent to join the first queue to board. Our car was parked closest to the exit from the car deck, our cabin was only a few feet down the corridor from the stairs (are they called companionways?) and the whole vessel, MV Bretagne, seemed really rather good. OTOH, service in the restaurant was a bit iffy. I ordered a bottle of Vouvray, and up came a bottle that was clearly not sparkling. I queried this before he'd opened it, and he said they didn't do a sparkling version. He trudged right back across the restaurant to fetch the wine list, whereupon I pointed out the bottle in question...... Having dug one up, he then proceeded to overfill the glasses massively. What sort of Frenchman does that?  I'm not sure either of us slept very well, but do not blame Brittany Ferries for that. Breakfast (free) was consumed a bit quickly the next morning, despite us having risen when the tannoy woke us, but again, we were among the first off the vessel. We joined the autoroute east of Rennes and stayed on until la Ferte Bernard, where we found ourselves in the middle of a drama, with all westbound traffic - i.e from Paris - being diverted off the autoroute. As there were only two lanes at the peage, this took some time - but when we got to the barrier we were not charged, the lady just collecting our ticket, which probably saved us about £20! We knew the cause of the problem, having seen a huge crane in the air, in the throes of trying to right a large rigid lorry and trailer lying down off the side of the road. I hope the driver was ok.

 

Dinner last night was at the other end of the village with friends, but we pleaded jet-lag, and retired a bit early. We slept well!

 

I hope your week is going well, and the Christmas build-up isn't too oppressive.

[The Stationmaster]

Makes you wonder what went on in so-called hump yards...

Funny that you should say that. I spent a while in one a good many years ago where it was the custom for a large number of the shunting etc staff to spend part of what in office hours was lunch time standing around more or less at the hump summit - it gave a spectacularly good view of a particular office in the admin block where in there were regular lunchtime 'goings on' (or maybe that should be 'comings off'?).

 

However it wasn't just hump yards - I was at a busy flat yard for a year or so and the Down Side headshunt/departure line was at the top of a big retaining wall at the foot of which was a quiet lane, oddly it was  a place where at certain times of day the Down side yard staff used to take their leisure looking over the wall at the events taking place in any car which happened to be parked in the lane.  Another, much quieter yard, was Coity Yard at Bridgend where a fairly new (in the 1970s) housing estate backed onto the yard - very oddly there was a woman in one of the houses who (presumably when her husband was on the 'right' shift at wherever he worked) took an amazingly long time to remove her night clothes and get dressed, and oddly it always happened to be about the time the shunting of the trip stopped for breakfast.

 

Edit to correct typo

Edited December 17, 2014 by The Stationmaster

[laurenceb]

Well done Andy

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Back for an update after the discussion about the water (or lack of it) in this village.  I was pleasantly surprised by the way this was handled by the supply company, as their inspector took the time to explain the next steps to me when I saw him in the street - even though he had quite a lot to do to isolate our area from the broken main in peparation for the tanker that acted as a temporary reservoir for our estate.  Then we got a phone call to advise that the tanker was onsite, and we should be on by 9.30, also that the repair gang was on its way, and would work on the burst main through the night, so full service should be on by morning - it was, and service was fully restored by about 02.30.  I then got a call from them this morning to check that my water was now OK, and also thanking me for reporting the problem - seems I was one of the first.  Quite unusual service.

 

Went to Morrisons again this morning, as tummy was not quite so bad as yesterday, and managed to tot up quite a bill.  Even the coupons and vouchers left me with near to a three-figure bill this week!  Still, I've got most of the Christmas food shopping done and in the freezer - only the fruit and veg to get next week - I did suggest a Christmas dinner of a Fray Bentos tinned pie (other brands are available) as we seem to have a few in store.

 

Bad news is that 30747 has fractured a filling, and she can't get to see her dentist until Friday. 

 

I've caught up all the posts since yesterday - too much to cover individually, so it has to be generic wishes and commiserations, I'm afraid.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Ashcombe]

Well done, Andy B! You've already established your worth at that school with your involvement in their Science Club, if I remember rightly?

[NGT6 1315]

Good news, Andy! Do be open for learning from your new colleagues but don't allow yourself to be undermined, as I admit happened to me during the first months of my training. I'm still dealing with that…

[travelintrev]

Evening all, 

 

sat in the departure lounge at Lagos international airport  --- flights  not  for a few hours - but it has taken me since  just after 5  - now 7pm here.to get air side!  I just hope that some of the hyped up kids running around are no where near me on the flight!  

 

Providing I can find free wifi at Atlanta in the morning I'll up date from there ,  make the best that you can for the rest of the day, 

 

Trev.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all, congratulations Andy but for the life of me I can't imagine what I said to encourage you. Club night tonight, wont be any more until the new year, not that much modeling will be done.

[Coombe Barton]

Right sod of a day. Yesterday we collected a virus which, if you opened an infected attachment made your PC a bot sending out messages to the entire mailing list. Too many people did that, and the only cure is to shut the PC down until it can be repaired. I cannot believe that, despite years of experience and emails telling them not to how such a large number of people can ignore then and thus bu99er their PCs., Then, because of the load, email servers went down.

 

My annual leave/shopping trip this afternoon was somewhat curtailed. Off tomorrow and then back again on Friday. And then I'm leaving early because of my shortened day today. Then off until New Year.

 

Oh for a lottery win so that I can retire!

[New Haven Neil]

Good evening ER's.

 

Another busy little day, interested at the big H's new announcements - turns out a friend had a lead on one of them. Obviously well connected.  I already have a J50 though, but it's a K's bodyline kit on a Dublo R1 chassis - anyone remember those!  Not a 'terribly' good model....I made it when I was about 14, so it is terrible to be honest.  The S15 will sell well, it's been frothed about for years!

 

I had a personal delivery from Hornby today, 16 days since I ordered it.  Some mail order system, we'd be out of a job if we provided a service like that! 

 

I think I missed an ER on the phone at work today, just came through the door as John put the phone down, sorry!  Nice of you to ask after me though.

[skipepsi]

Evening all, a quiet day so far tomorrow will be different DD2 will be given her A level certificates the first of the three to follow the conventional route to uni! After that we are away to Winchester to pick up number one son and small snake then home around 3am and up for work at 7 am. Good job Friday is the last day....... forgot to congratulate Andy, it is a great job as long as your strength holds out, join a union quickly and protect yourself legally, then enjoy imparting knowledge.

Edited December 17, 2014 by skipepsi

[AndyB]

Evening all, congratulations Andy but for the life of me I can't imagine what I said to encourage you. Club night tonight, wont be any more until the new year, not that much modeling will be done.

 

Well, in truth a number of ideas were coming together. Partly being fed up being told by professionals / adults why things could never change in my former area of expertise even if simple stuff would save £millions,  but fully prepared to waste their time AND mine pondering things. Pondering and managing equates to gongs, it seems. 

 

But mainly, I think, reaching an age where you realise that you've spent so much time making changes to things where you'll never see the result, or be able to identify anyone specifically who benefited.I'm thinking improvements to safety systems, where people didn't die because of your efforts. Or pushing the bounds of science where it never feeds through to anything practical.....For once it'd be nice to point to one named person whose life you improved. 

Whereas when you help a child form their letters, learn to count, take an interest in a subject they thought was beyond them, there's definitely a buzz. Who knows what they'll become, but you do know who they are. Perhaps it'll just result in more children holding the door open to the village shop when elderly folk are coming in.

As it happens I'll be working in my daughter's class, so for the first time ever, paid to look after my own child. And 15 weeks holiday each year.  LOL. 

 

I appreciate there's plenty of teachers on here who probably think I'm over romanticising it through my lack of experience. Fair enough. 

 

Phil, you quoted Abe Lincoln. He said: "No man stands taller than he who stoops to help a child."  

 

Day 1, helped a lad who was overcome by heat stress whilst carol singing at an old people's home. Taught some infant children that "Thank you and Please" would be nice to hear at lunch time when clearing their plates. Passed on a geogers and PHSE lesson that the Christmas holiday is for ALL the family, not just the children, using this quiz: 

 

Clue 1. The first 3 letters of the capital of Finland + the first letter of the capital of France.

Clue 2. The first 3  letters of a large city on the west coast of India. (ERers, you can use all 6 and the first 7 of Clue 3)

Clue 3. The first 4 letters of the capital of the USA

Clue 4. Two letters from a local place name. Answer was "UP". 

 

How very se x itst of you, Mr B. 

[Donw]

That could have been me Neil, Santa has been vey kind as a Countess is on it's way. I believe John said you fitted the RC gear.

Don

[DDolfelin]

Just a quick 'well done' to Andy.

Take cakes for the staff (and a staff for the kids).

[Donw]

Andy it is good to be doing something you find inspiring you may in time become older tired and disillusioned but if you have helped some kids on the way it will have been worthwhile. On the otherhand you may well look back and feel justifiably proud on what you have done. I do hope it goes well.

Don

[railsquid]

Good morning from a bright chilly Tokyo. A freak low pressure has been bringing massive amounts of snow to the north of Japan, but so far we have been spared. Which reminds me, I must see if I can order a solid snow shovel, the plastic one I bought in a hurry last year proved to be unsuitable for shifting larger amounts.

[PhilJ W]

Thanks Andy, in fact I did not know that the quote was from Abe Lincoln, probably umpteenth hand when I got it. From what you have said its not a job you have its a vocation. I have never had any kids of my own but if I did I would want them to be taught by you.

[Jock67B]

Evening all,

Great news from Andy which has lifted my spirits - I've often felt that re-trained more experienced people could bring a lot to the teaching profession. Andy, I had a little of the joy that you will feel when, before knowing what my illness was but aware that I couldn't go on for ever, I agreed to train one of the directors sons with a view to him eventually running the sales department. It was a rewarding experience to see a pleasant and very bright young man develop the skills needed for the job as well as learning interpersonal skills. My reward was a surprise gift from him when I had to retire, expressing his thanks for all I'd done for him. This was topped off by a gift and card from his mum and dad to thank me for the care I had shown with their lad. The real present for me though was to see a young graduate from the library service absorbing my experience of many years (hopefully with the mistakes edited out!). I'm sure from your many posts that you are going to give the youngsters a helping hand along the rocky road and look forward to updates on your progress here!

Good to hear that Sherry and Ian are safely back in La Sarthe, and great news that the wedding booking formalities went well!

Better think about some sleep now as I am attending great grandson Freddie's nativity play at his day nursery - at least he's got me half a days respite from the decorating. Hope all those with the lurgie manage to shake it off in time for the festive season and that Trev lands safely on the other side of the 'pond'.

Kind regards,

Jock.

And of course, not forgetting G'night Pete! Hope you're feeling better mate?

Edited December 18, 2014 by Jock67B

[bbishop]

Going back through a whole bunch of posts, the village near Sandwich is actually called "Ham".

 

Bill

[lightengine]

My kids always found the highest point on Bodmin Moor amusing.

Brown Willy.

[NGT6 1315]

Morning all. Stomach upset this past night, which I suppose was due to those antibiotics. Perhaps dinner had been a bit too much, too, but what can you do when you're hungry...

 

Have a good one!

[emt_911]

Well, it looks like another morning of train problems having just looked at Southern's site.

 

I really feel sorry for those travelling to London from Redhill and further south