Early Risers.

[Killybegs]

Toyah was on it. She sang "It'sth a Mysthery" in her inimitable lisping style.

 

How strange. How could I have missed the one act I wanted to see. I thought BBC4 was the same regardless of where you are, unlike BBC1 & 2 which can vary between the regions. Was it the last song and I switched off too soon?

[Killybegs]

Morning guys....Way behind right now as I've spent the last two days back and forth to the Royal Berks.  My dear old Mum aged 93 fell over in her flat on Wednesday and it was an hour or so before they found her. She'd left her alarm pendant on the bedside table and couldn't get to it.  Anyway they called and ambulance and off she went.  Thankfully nothing broken, so after numerous tests and X rays she was discharged last night.  I'm amazed how quickly dementia and confusion is coming on as there were a few tears last night as she thought she would have to give up her flat and would now be living in the hospital ward she had just left.  

 

They've changed all her medication as well, so it will now take weeks to train her to take the right tablets each morning.  I think we've reached the point that she will need additional care to come in on a daily basis, but that will have to wait a day or two until she settles.

 

Growing old can be hard....

 

On the bright side Jackie stumbled across this.  Looks like a nice stroll for the weekend....

 

 

Good video, shame the commentator was such a prat. Didn't he realise that one reason for having two safety lines is that you take them off one at a time, not together thereby leaving yourself temporarily unattached.

[grandadbob]

Toyah was on it. She sang "It'sth a Mysthery" in her inimitable lisping style.

 

We were lucky enough to be given tickets to see Toyah in "Trafford Tanzi" at the Mermaid back in 1983. She was absolutely brilliant. For those who don't know it the play is set in a wrestling ring with the audience on all sides and is divided into 10 rounds with all the cast wrestling

 

.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trafford_Tanzi

 

 

[bbishop]

Televisions. We kept an old fat screen 32 inch TV for years . A 40 inch flat screen had about the same vertical height as the 32 inch TV so ha this what we got. Buying tvs from John Lewis is my preferred supplier of home entertainment products.

Tony

Agree with Tony about John Lewis. I went for the 32" flat screen (£229); suits me as I rarely watch it. As far as I am concerned, the licence fee pays for BBC radio.

 

Bill

[chrisf]

 

By the way, contrary to something said after Terry Wogan's sad demise, Jimmy Young is still alive at 94. So, in his words

 

TTFN

 

Ed.

 

[Pedant mode on] it was BFN - bye for now. [Pedant mode off]

 

I was never a fan of Jimmy Young.  I made a car sticker with a drawing of a lavatory pan and the slogan "Jimmy Young must go".  If I had been i/c Radio 1 in 1967 and the morning show was in my gift I would have offered it to Tony Windsor or Keith Skues.  Later, of course, JY became quite a sharp interviewer but in the early years of Radio 1 he was toe-curlingly awful.  I don't know what preservatives he takes but I'd like some.

 

Chris

[PhilJ W]

Morning all From Estuary-Land. Jock, I hope the oncologist can get things sorted soonest, it must be a difficult juggling act to find the right combination of drugs to enable you to have a comfortable life. Gordon, luckily your mum didn't suffer any serious injuries from her fall. Its a major problem with an ageing population in caring for them without putting the burden on the NHS. Chris, I have an old cathode ray TV set in perfect working order that you are welcome too but as Mal said above the problem is that they no longer 'letterbox' the picture and you lose the sides of the screen. This is the reason for its redundancy, it was replaced by a 24" flat screen that suits me fine, and it fits on the old TV unit a treat. I still have my milk delivered, 3 pints a week and if I run short I get an extra pint from the supermarket. At one time the deliverys were Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and then it was changed to Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I found myself expecting a pint on a none delivery day or going out and finding the pint on the doorstep. I am now used to the delivery days so guess what? The dairy has just informed me that they are reverting to the old delivery days.

Edited February 5, 2016 by PhilJ W

[Happy Hippo]

How strange. How could I have missed the one act I wanted to see. I thought BBC4 was the same regardless of where you are, unlike BBC1 & 2 which can vary between the regions. Was it the last song and I switched off too soon?

I don't know if you turned off too soon.

 

It's a mystery!

[AndrewC]

Killybegs, on 05 Feb 2016 - 09:56, said:

How strange. How could I have missed the one act I wanted to see. I thought BBC4 was the same regardless of where you are, unlike BBC1 & 2 which can vary between the regions. Was it the last song and I switched off too soon?

You can still pick up the last 4 weeks worth of Flop of the Crops on iPlayer if you missed anything that  you must see. Toyah never floated my boat. Kate Bush on the other hand...........

 

John Lewis is now our go to for home stuff. Mainly due to the offspring's staff partner discount.

 

Mr. Bishop. My comment was meant tongue in cheek as I'm rarely available. I'd love to do Tonbridge but sadly that weekend is already booked by SWMBO. I enjoyed the day at New Cross. As Roundhouse knows my free weekends are about as common as rocking horse droppings.

[Happy Hippo]

I'm shortly off to the QM's for some rations.

 

Tomorrow I have to embark on a D of E training, so I'd best show them how it's done properly and with decorum.

 

None of this ' first catch your grasshopper and cook it over a guttering candle.' Not me!

 

 I'm used to the marquee and carpets, table with white cloth, chairs and a linen napkin; silver and china; chilled Chablis, a three course lunch...............

 

All served by my old batman Lcpl Buckle, who is a bit old and doddery now, but does like to perform on special occasions.

 

How he gets it all into a standard Bergen rucksack never fails to amaze me.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Happy Hippo

[HeeleyBridge]

We swapped Mum's 24" flat screen for a 37"(?) a few months ago, she'd go to the point where she couldn't read the subtitles. From John Lewis of course, because she worked there for many years and still has her partner's discount.

 

Mention of Keith Skues (Cardboard Shoes) takes me back to 1974(ish) when he came to talk to our karate club about what we would like to hear on Radio Hallam which was just starting up. We didn't ask for what we got.

 

I seem to remember the we used to listen to Sam Costa on Radio 2.

 

Hope that Jock has better luck with his meds and those ailing feel better today.

 

Grandson has arrived and so I am off to build a loco now, from wooden version of junior  meccano, he has the screwdriver, spanner and instructions in hand. I may need Tony Wright's help. 

[Tony_S]

I am not convinced that Matthew (now aged 23) could put a wooden Meccano model together. Dyspraxia is strange, exploded diagram instructions seem to be meaningless to him. Fortunately he has turned out to be quite academic!

I bought him some bike tools so he could straighten out the saddle on his bike (in Utrecht). He did try, but took it into a bike shop and they did it for him , no charge either.

Tony

[Shedman5]

Morning, grey skies today but at least its dry.

 

Just back from taking some stuff to the auctioneers, we are having a bit of a clear out, whilst waiting for the paperwork I noticed a box of model railway stuff.

 

On inspection there was a couple of items I would not say no to. So on Wednesday next week I must go and watch our items go under the hammer keeping a close eye on a certain lot!

 

Other half is at the hairdressers and not able to accompany me........shame....yippee!

 

Enjoy your day folks

 

Alan

[The Stationmaster]

G'day all.

 

Morning visit to see Drac's Daughter and the good count has recruited a new, and very pleasant, young lady to his cause so the experience was quite enjoyable and definitely better than a session with the Russian all-in wrestler lady (assuming having a needle stuck in you can actually be enjoyable?).  Pleasant walk down, not so pleasant walking home as the rain had started - exactly as forecast.

 

Currently the domestic goddess is preparing mushrooms on toast and then it's off to Waitrose.

 

Enjoy what's left of your day

 

PS The good Doctor duly passed her Driving Theory Test yesterday.

Edited February 5, 2016 by The Stationmaster

[New Haven Neil]

Morning.  Early doors visit to the old farts bike club found the er, founder in hospital having had a heart monitor thing put in his chest....only to collapse afterwards on the way home as they had nicked a lung.  He's in the HDU now, should be OK we are told.  He's the youngest of us all, only about 40 - the old farts bit came as a mickey take to his friendship group, all being much older!

 

I even went on a bike as it is dry, if rather windy (outside...), once again the only bike at the bike club. Ho hum.

 

Jock is at the front of my mind this morning, another person hoping they can make you more comfortable until the new drugs kick in.

 

TV's - not sure what made us upgrade to a 40" LED, but it seemed huge for a week or two.  We don't even notice it now.  Mrs H likes her SF films/progs, so it get a fair use, and she also likes Portillo, I can't stand the bloke myself (personally, not politically, not getting drawn into politics!), I could watch it with the sound off! Edit - on HD it has a resolution a CRT could only dream of.

Edited February 5, 2016 by New Haven Neil

[Killybegs]

You can still pick up the last 4 weeks worth of Flop of the Crops on iPlayer if you missed anything that  you must see. Toyah never floated my boat. Kate Bush on the other hand...........

 

.

 

No access to iplayer in the Republic of Ireland!

[Oldddudders]

[Pedant mode on] it was BFN - bye for now. [Pedant mode off]

 

I was never a fan of Jimmy Young. I made a car sticker with a drawing of a lavatory pan and the slogan "Jimmy Young must go". If I had been i/c Radio 1 in 1967 and the morning show was in my gift I would have offered it to Tony Windsor or Keith Skues. Later, of course, JY became quite a sharp interviewer but in the early years of Radio 1 he was toe-curlingly awful. I don't know what preservatives he takes but I'd like some.

 

Chris

Keith Skues - cardboard shoes!

 

In them thar days Pete Murray had a morning slot, with a theme that included ringing bells. "Well, ring my chimes!" he would say over it, daily. Woman on bus "Ring his chimes? I'd like to wring his bloody neck!"

 

Edit. Interrupted by bloody visitor! Heeley Bridge got there first!

Edited February 5, 2016 by Oldddudders

[Oldddudders]

Lcpl Buckle, who is a bit old and doddery now, but does like to perform on special occasions.

Mrs Buckle expects!

 

How he gets it all into a standard Bergen rucksack never fails to amaze me.

And now we know why!

[Smiffy2]

Not sure where the idea of Jimmy Young being a sharp questioner comes from. He was always the go-to for politicians who wanted an easy ride...

[AndrewC]

Killybegs, on 05 Feb 2016 - 12:46, said:Killybegs, on 05 Feb 2016 - 12:46, said:

No access to iplayer in the Republic of Ireland!

you need the claws of the magic tunnel bear my friend. https://www.tunnelbear.com/

 

 

edit: the beeb stazi are trying to limit the use of VPN portals. the Bear is still mostly unaffected. However, if you try it and the beeb goes boom, just disconnect and try again. Eventually you will get a tunnelled ip address that isn't blocked.

Edited February 5, 2016 by AndrewC

[45156]

I hate the red B.R livery on Galatea too!

 

.

Me too - though she moved like lightning on the inaugural passenger carrying run on the Lune Rivers Trust Special, where late runningstill resulted in an almost on time arrival in Chester and the run back on the WCML from Warrington to Farrington Junction was quite awesome.

[Coombe Barton]

Very, very minor compared with Jock's but the doc says my knee, which had to be stick assisted from Monday to Wednesday, is a strained ligament.

 

However the blood pressure's up - not surprising with the work stress, said Sandy, who declares she knows about such things.

[Coombe Barton]

Wonder of there should have been a loco especially for us on here - Bedside Manor

[Purley Oaks]

Always liked Jack Jackson when I listened to Radio 2 in the 70s (usually Radio 1), and Ray Moore created his own world. Kenny (Everett) and (Dave) Cash were a good double act while they lasted, then Kenny Everett solo was magic - fancy being sacked for cracking a funny gag about Mary Whitehouse...

Stuart Henry was great, too.

Mal

[New Haven Neil]

Tch, peeing it down now.  I knew I should have gotten the firewood in this morning!

[BSW01]

Good afternoon everyone, an early post day as I'm hoping to go swimming this evening and I might not get chance to post later. It's Friday, yeah. Grey and miserable day today, but no rain, so can't be all bad! Working a little closer to home today, Westhoughton, Blackrod, Bolton and Walkden, so not that far to travel.

 

The first site was one of our National Transmission Sites, featuring, remotely operated security cameras, electric fence, automatic security lighting, etc. But the plus side is, that it has full facilities, running water, toilets etc. Luxury! Most of our sites have NO facilities at all, only an electrical supply. The gas on site is at a pressures varying anywhere between 7bar - 90bar. Whereas the gas pressure coming into your home would be in the region of <15mbar. We all carry our own water, kettle, cups etc. to site. Some sites have chairs (think school hall type chairs), but most don't. Some have a bench whilst some a table, so again we usually carry our own! Therefore, in the boot of my car there is in the region of 1/4 ton of tools equipment most of the time! I've included some photos showing the car loaded and what it's like in some of the larger instrument rooms on site, where I've set out my dining arrangements!

 

 

The clear box holds my cup, teabags, 110v kettle (all portable equipment has to be 110v) various power leads (for the different socket types and voltages I encounter on site). The dark blue one is my lunchbox, a mini cool-box which I've had over 20 years and gives sterling service. In it is my lunch, chilled milk as well as chilled 500ml bottle of water. I also carry 2 x 2 ltr stainless steel flasks, so that they don't burst when left in the boot during freezing weather, (I learnt that the hard way!). When going on holiday, it can take up about 30 minutes to unload all my tools and equipment, before I can then start reloading it with cases and such in. The whole process has then to be reversed when we get back home of course.

 

Our youngest granddaughter is stopping overnight so no doubt we'll be up early in the morning too. Later on her elder sister will join us and then we've got some cake making to do, mmmm! They'll both go home mid-afternoon tomorrow.

 

Don. Sorry to read about Marion's continuing eyes problems.

 

Jock. I've never been a coffee man, I blame my mother, because she used to buy cheap coffee when I was young. All of my chemotherapy was given to me via intravenous drip in the back of my hand, (they'd swap hands each month to give my veins a rest) so thankfully it never affected my palate.

 

Gordon s. Sorry to hear about your gran, sounds very similar to the way Sheila's Mum went, she too had a fall, but again no broken bones. Although she was never officially diagnosed with dementia, we're all convinced she'd got it, and as it was the local government (who carried out the assessments) they were just trying to get out of funding her care!

 

Alan. Good luck at the auction next week. Hope she is still out when you get back home, so that you can sneak them in and say, "oh these old things, I've had them for ages".

 

Mike. Well done to the Good Doctor on passing her theory test.