Early Risers.

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

Autumn seems to have well and truly set in now.  Today was the first time this year that I have seen fallen leaves in any quantity.  It is also rather grey and wet - but rather mild.

 

There was a piece in the paper this morning that the brewery up the road from us was broken into over the weekend, and 65 empty beer kegs were stolen.  It sounds like there is a joke in there somewhere - but I guess it was the metal fairies.

 

Time for a coffee!

 

Have a good day everyone...

[NGT6 1315]

Morning all. Achy spots still exist but I did seem to sleep well enough. Frida the cat spread herself out across my stomach just before we got up. I wonder if that might have been out of a caring impulse or with the intention to get the servants on their feet and to prepare food?

 

 

Has anyone else, as I have, decided not to bother with the 'driving standards' thread?

 

After a quick glimpse, I did so decide as well indeed!

 

 

No mountain biking tonight - the broken axle hasn't been fixed as I only took it into the local bike shop this afternoon. It is in very capable hands as the man that runs the workshop was once the mechanic to Bradley Wiggins and Chris Hoy amongst others.

 

This reminds me that a while ago, I saw a mountain bike with a single-arm fork suspending the front wheel on one side only, wondering if that did indeed provide sufficient stability for cross-country riding.

 

Enjoy what you do!

[Barry O]

Mug of tea being consumed. Flu symptoms are here following my jab yesterday but its all good in the name of science.

 

I have lots of jobs to do today (including some housework).

 

Should finish the day with some more indoor cricket umpiring.

 

Have a great day!

 

Baz

 

PS naughty Polly buying pre weathered locos. You can do weathering well!

[Oldddudders]

Morning all

 

Awoken at 5.30 by a thunderstorm, which lasted about half an hour. Apart from letting the cats in I haven't really looked outside, but a txt from Alison says there were still flashes on the horizon an hour later.

 

I haven't been to Switzerland for more than 40 years, a matter for regret. I travelled the narrow-gauge Furka Oberalp in the days when it closed for the Winter due to bridges actually needing to be dismantled in areas of avalanche risk. These days I think they've tunnelled under there and it can run all year. My trip to Zweisimmen was by standard gauge BLS. I had an unpleasant experience in the hotel there.

 

I share the general disdain for the tone of the Driving Standards thread. But note Messrs Bryan and Binns had been pot-stirring!

 

A few errands to perform today. It will be damp again.

 

Hope your day improves as it goes along.

[iL Dottore]

Morning All,

 

Life is a bit unsettled at the moment, what with the "exchange" and their impenetrable paperwork (and the ever present threat of sanctions should you screw up), recovery from surgery is going a lot slower than expected and despite numerous applications nuffink is happening. At least, thanks to the dog walker (who, I had mentioned, is amazing with dogs) Lucy is no longer muzzled when out, is a lot more obedient (except when she finds a smell!) and she appears much more self-confident and relaxed.

 

A few words to ChrisF and and Jock, if I may. Jock: I am not sure what you doctor's instructions are concerning oramorph use is, but as it is not on a fixed schedule but on a PRN (as needed) basis then it may be helpful to take it just before the pain ramps up and not at the apex of the pain (I understand that taking it just as the pain begins to bite effectively "nips it in the bud"). I had mentioned before that I am no expert in pain management, but it does seem that nowadays pain management is as much about prevention as it is about response to pain.

 

Chris, from what you have described it seems that a step has been left out from the prep procedure. IIRC, and according to the Mayo Clinic, it is a] special diet the day before (i.e. no food and no drink either after midnight), b] laxative the night before, c] one or more enemas the day of the procedure (these can be anything from a simple Fleet enema to the whole 1+ litre of warm, soapy water) and d] alteration of medication if appropriate. It would seem, from your description, that they missed out on Step C. One of the more earthy tasks I had to perform when I worked in a hospital many, many years ago was to do bowel prep on patients who were to undergo any sort of bowel procedure. One GI surgeon was most particular that his patients should be well scrubbed - both inside and out - before surgery.

 

AndyID: presumably you are building a Disneyland/Disneyworld themed layout with those bright blue railway tracks (which, I am certain, will fabulously set off the bright red Hogwart's Express Olton Hall)?

 

Well that's about it for now. Off to walk the dogs with the dog walker (and a guest dog: a 2 year old miniature poodle bitch called Lady, quite the bundle of energy).

 

iD

Edited October 7, 2015 by iL Dottore

[big jim]

Nice morning in crewe but big coat on as they have given rain for the afternoon in the east midlands which is where im heading

 

Hopefully the train will turn up today, cancelled yesterday so had to drive to derby which took me 1 3/4 hours, realtime train is showing the inbound working as being on the way so im in with a fighting chance!

[roundhouse]

Morning from a soggy Surry. At least the rain stopped as we left e house. Had to walk to the station as the bus was so late according to the online bus checker. So were the trains but no reason given why they had all gone late since checking before leaving home.

When I got up I managed to complete the net curtains on the station building than a few other items on the external walls etc.

Could do with a day at home to complete it really.

Edited October 6, 2015 by roundhouse

[Killybegs]

I once knew a bar in Easky, Co. Sligo that doubled as the local Undertakers. By coincidence I started on “Puckoon” there whilst sipping on a pint.

 

Best, Pete.

 

Not unusual in Ireland. Were you in Easky for the surf?

 

Very mild this morning. more rain and gales forecast for later.

 

Curlews on the river this morning, not seen but heard. More unusual was a heron standing in the surf among the gulls. Normally found on the river and usually mobbed by gulls who seem to take exception to their presence.

 

Another indoor day working on Brit valve gear. Will it ever end.

[AndrewC]

Morning all <cough> from the <cough> <hack> <sneeze> boring borough of <hack> Bexley.

The cold/black death/man flu has taken full hold. More annoying than anything. No sleep, need coffee stat!

 

Coolish but very humid again this morning. The starlings have been decimating the feeders again. Just wish the little b*ggers were a bit more accurate as they seem to spill more meal worms than they eat. Although the robins seem to prefer taking them from the ground. Sadly so do the blasted pigeons. Like Lurker we get a lot, and I mean a lot of the Bexley Parakeets around here. There seems to be a decent sized flock that live in Danson Park and more around Oxlea's and Bostall Woods. For living on the edge of prairie flat 30's suburbia we have a lot of greenspace and a fair bit of wildlife. Another fox wandering through the garden last night.

 

Mick, get that knee seen to if it feels wrong for more than a couple of days. I thought mine was just a "twist" at first. Torn meniscus was the reality.

 

 

That's about it from here. Have a good one. I'm off to snort a few lines of Lemsip.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It was raining at midnight when I wandered round the garden with Robbie but it has stopped now.

I altered the heating yesterday so that it works all day as well as early morning and evening.

Aditi's return to work was OK, it appears that she will be chairing academic board meetings, mitigation panels and academic offence hearings until she retires. Though of course in amongst all this is the impending college inspection.

Tony

[45156]

Morning All

 

Had a lurk since about 7 and at last have had a taste of the Wigan show - thanks to Polly and Signal Engineer. 

 

Jock - that night's sleep will come, I'm sure and it will be all the more welcome when it does.

Chris F - sorry to hear that the Moviprep didn't work for you - I've got to say that you're the first person I've ever heard of who had this outcome.  I think that you do need advice from the medics, but I'm slightly surprised that the Endoscopy team didn't offer any assistance.

Mick - get that knee looked at - on many occasions, I've thought I'd just twisted something, and it turned out to be much worse.  I once "sprained" my ankle when my foot went down a gap on a level crossing, and I struggled with it until it cleared up.  Many years later I had to have another x-ray on the same ankle, to be told that I'd re-opened an old fracture which had not healed properly. 

Andrew, enjoy the Lem-Sip. 

Flavio - it appears that jobsworths abound everywhere, as the practice of sanctioning is also rife in the UK - talk about kicking a man when he's down!  Hope that your recovery speeds up a bit soon.  If not, what is the next step?

 

As for me, I feel pretty rough, like Andrew, and had a very hot night, with much sweating, and three changes of night attire.  I did sleep between the hot spells, but I still feel pretty knackered this morning.  Still it will pass.  Nothing much planned for today (again) but I did have the luxury of a morning shower, as the new method is proving to work well. 

 

Anybody got any news on Tex?

 

Now back to more lurking until I drop off for a while.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[The Lurker]

Morning all, it's grey and gloomy over Borough Market Junction again. I have a meeting today for which office etiquette requires a tie. I no longer regularly wear a tie so am unusually hot around the collar this morning!

 

I can't quite hear AndrewC coughing from here, but I hope he recovers quickly.

 

I agree that there is a lot of green all through SE suburbia - add Foots Cray Meadows, Sidcup Green, Chislehurst Common and Scadbury to Andrew's list, as well as all the company sports grounds slightly further towards town, and there are plenty of breaks in the rows of 30s semis. Scadbury in particular has spots that can feel as if you are in the middle of nowhere, which is quite strange (in a good way) when it is bounded by the A 20 and A222.

 

The foxes are slightly less common than a few years ago in our particularly neighbourhood, but we did have them denning under the decking one year. Newer neighbours have cats, and I suspect the foxes avoid them.

 

Right, time for another coffee! Have a good day.

[DDolfelin]

The guy who administered my flu jab this year got his own back.

(Last year I dramatically staggered out clutching my arm and groaning in front of the waiting queue.

"That doesn't help" he said from behind me.)

This year it DID hurt. Felt like he hit the bone and bent the needle.

[edcayton]

Morning all. Tony, what would "academic offences" be? I don't think I was aware of any in 25+ years teaching.

 

Ed

[laurenceb]

Flavio makes a good point about pain management, years ago I was troubled with tennis elbow and the doc recommended taking a painkiller as soon as the pain started

to stop it going into spasm. Since then I have not had a problem.

Moring all

[NGT6 1315]

Morning all. Tony, what would "academic offences" be? I don't think I was aware of any in 25+ years teaching.

 

Ed

 

I figure this will be related to plagiarism and other types of academic fraud, such as falsifying data.

[Oldddudders]

The guy who administered my flu jab this year got his own back.

(Last year I dramatically staggered out clutching my arm and groaning in front of the waiting queue.

"That doesn't help" he said from behind me.)

This year it DID hurt. Felt like he hit the bone and bent the needle.

 

Just retribution, it would seem! Years ago a couple of joshing colleagues would attend the chiropodist together. They (he and she) wound each other up all the time, and after treatment Terry crawled out of the treatment room on his hands and knees shouting "Butcher!" They were asked to attend separately in future.

 

Morning all. Tony, what would "academic offences" be? I don't think I was aware of any in 25+ years teaching.

 

Ed

Teaching Creationism?

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Commiserations and congratulations where necessary. I haven't looked in on the 'driving standards' thread this morning to see who's frothing, the temptation to get the big wooden spoon out is almost irresistible but can you stir froth? I hope Hurricane Joaquin is still going to give us a miss but the weather map for Friday shows it sitting in the Atlantic just west of Killybegs. The event I hope to go to on Sunday was washed out a couple of years ago by bad weather. The show is the Canvey bus museums end of season show, the only place where they can display the buses and larger vehicles is in the lowest part of the island, the museum itself is given over to sales stands and cars and other small items are displayed in the school grounds adjacent to the museum.

[Oldddudders]

 

If I make it to the Farnham show this weekend it'll be on the Sunday - have a wedding to attend. Like two other people on here, if my memory serves?

 

 

Not quite. We are scheduled for the 29th. Sherry has friends and family in teaching, so half-term midweek seemed best.

[BoD]

Morning all

 

Grey and dreary here for second day in a row. Still, after last week's glorious weather, can't complain too much.

I haven't worn a tie for nearly three months. Probably forgotten how to tie one.

Another year older and not much wiser I fear that most of the ties I wear in future will be of the black variety.

I think my mood matches the weather.

[PhilJ W]

I haven't worn a tie for years, I think the last time was at my brothers second marriage, about 10 years ago, I just hate the bloody things.

[trisonic]

72f and Sunny here in the Metroplex today. Pretty normal really for the time of year.

 

I wouldn’t worry too much Phil - the storm will have declined so much in wind strength by then. Biggest effect will be on Eire - though perversely the good Cap’n may notice some heavy wave action and wind coming from the south along the South Western shorelines. I still think that the biggest issue will be rain - but not in the east of the country.   I o M may experience some wind - but nothing they are not used to though if leaves are still on the trees they may lose a few. With these sort of Post Tropical Storms you can expect more winds to the Right of the centre of circulation with, conversely, more rain to the Left.

 

More anon.

 

Best, Pete.

[Tony_S]

Morning all. Tony, what would "academic offences" be? I don't think I was aware of any in 25+ years teaching.

 

Ed

The most common is submitting plagiarised work. The consequences of submitting work other than your own are made clear to students on degree courses. They still think they can get away with it. As Aditi's college doesn't issue their own degrees (usually OU) they have to have everything documented. For a first offence if proved the work has to be resubmitted without plagiarism but the mark is capped at low pass level. I am not sure if other offences count as plagiarism, paying someone else to do your work, stealing someone else's work and claiming the victim was the plagiarist. I am sure there are more.

Mitigation panels are to do with students requests for extra time due to unfortunate circumstances.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Tony_S

[AndrewC]

Tony_S, on 06 Oct 2015 - 10:34, said:

Mitigation panels are to do with students requests for extra time due to unfortunate circumstances.

A dog ate my homework.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

I think I've worn a tie a couple of times this year and definitely once last year - like Phil I havea  strong dislike of wearing them (and the wardrobe is full of 'em but they'd probably sell as 'railway relics' as they include such rarities as a Royal Train tie and GWR MAS (nothing to do with signalling) tie).

 

Anyway to commiserations where due - alas too many places today it seems.  And in order to cheer up young Chris F I've dug out a pic I took at Zweisimmen during a very brief visit there while on my Grand Tour back in 2003  (with due apologies and grovelling to Debs).  Enjoy your day folks.