Early Risers.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Just got to bed last night and foxy (obviously another one) started a racket in the front garden, a check out of the window revealed presence also of a ginger cat so obviously one of our residents.  Making noises out of the window did little to deter foxy so it was outdoor lights on and a trip up the front path to see him off and convince the cat they he really does live here  (why does he need convincing - he has just been shouting to be let in from the front porch).  Anyway foxy was a rather tatty looking beast - not at all like the lovely (deceased) one we took down to the vet's yesterday and I do wish he and the cat would chose a better time of day for playing tag in the front garden.  meanwhile neighbours all duly warned about the presence of seemingly poisoned rat.

 

Bright and sunny so a G word has been mentioned however it is the lesser of the two evils and means greenhouse - to which herself will head to 'start some seeds' while I'm despatched to Tesco with a shopping list (of one item thus far).  But it's a nice day for cutting down a few things so I might attack the buddleia later if I fancy a few more aches and scars.

 

Have a good day one & all.

[45156]

Morning All

 

Sorry that yet again I've been AWOL due to more and more painting - the spare bedroom has now given way to having to line the outside wall of the downstairs cloakroom (a job which we wanted to avoid, but even after using a sealing compound, the paint won't adhere properly, so we've had to bite the bullet, and it was, to say the least, awkward getting the lining paper behind the water and drainage pipes, and the towel rail.  I used some words that I never knew were in my vocabulary.  Then the paint, together with the obligatory "and don't forget the bits you missed the last time".  Now it appears that the hall stairs and landing also need to be attended to. 

 

Yesterday was our periodic trip to Skipton to get some pies, and a visit to some of the usual sources of second hand railway books, but one usually good one appears to have a new person on the pricing gun, and volumes which were at realistic prices are now at silly prices.  A 1963 Locospotters Annual at a tenner in poorish condition was one such example.  While I was browsing, a book dealer was trying to negotiate a reduction on a signed book by Vita Sackville-West, which was priced at £400, not in great condition, and missing its dust jacket.  He told me, confidentially while the volunteer on the counter was "consulting the manager", that he'd be pushed to get £250 for it selling it on.  I fear his offer of about £180 was going to get short shrift.

 

Hope that all are well, and that those ailing/receiving treatment are on the mend.  I see that we are waiting for news from our Clacton correspondent/fighter.  Also saw in passing that things are improving chez Olddudders, again good news.

 

Got to take 30747 into town later as she's got to go to a training course this afternoon, then need to get the dinner on the go - leftovers Korma is the order of the day.

 

Edit - Rant mode on - Annual daylight robbery to support services from the council that we don't use, while losing those which we do bill arrived yesterday, and it's gone up by a relatively large amount compared to other areas.  One of Lancashire's greatest achievements was to arrange for food waste to be collected and processed with the green waste - this entailing the construction and commisioning of two processing plants both about 20 miles from here (and also as inconvenient to many other parts of the county) to make compost from the green AND food wastes as this was going to be cheaper and more efficient than sending it to landfill.  So two plants at huge sums of taxpayers money, and contracted to be run by an outside agency.  Then the contract was bought out, and the plants to be directly managed.  Now both plants being mothballed as they have "discovered" that only 1% of the waste being processed was, in fact, food waste, again at a high cost, and food waste going back to landfill.  Well done, and to cover all these costs and wasted money, they now need to "find" large savings, like decimating the bus services to rural areas (no such problem if you live near one of the local universities - they see buses every few minutes).

 

Rant mode off

 

Regards to All

Stewart

Edited April 1, 2016 by 45156

[Shedman5]

Morning all!

 

Late start this morning in order to join the queuing multitudes attempting to get a GP appointment! Starting flag drops at 08:30. Will necessitate taking the car today rather than succumbing to the usual rigours of Southern Failways.

 

Bright, sunny morning here.

 

Best wishes to all in need.

 

Morning, after a nice breakfast I felt ready to engage in the joys of the supermarket, back home and all done.

 

Re Gp appointments I think we are very fortunate, my wife has just booked an appointment for Monday morning via the on line appointment service, she did have a choice of one tonight or tommorrow morning but Monday suited her best.

You can ring up but we find doing it via the internet much quicker and beats hanging on the telephone in a que!

 

Grey skies and drizzle here and colder than yesterday which was really pleasant. Shed time this afternoon!

 

Enjoy your day folks

 

Alan

[jamie92208]

Afternoon all from a rather chilly village.   The day started with a rant from the boss about how there wasn't any space in the shed for her gardening stuff as it was full of my carp (Layout bits)  After she'd cooled down I set to work and did an hour or so's carpentry on the drive.   Various backscene parts that were stacked loose are now neatly crated and easily moveable and the shed is a lot tidier.  I haven't seen any gardening stuff though.   I've now warmed up and will probably stay in to wait for various phone calls this afternoon before an evening at the clubrooms.

 

Ian (OD) glad that things seem to be getting sorted out and hope that the coming week is not too traumatic when the  has the kids.

 

I also don't have a sister so the I word has never been a problem.  I did once though have deal with a broken widow at a house where the mother whose teenage daughter (16 and drop dead gorgeous) had been the subject of that particular crime.  The mother, to say the least had abused the privilege of being ugly and at 3am she did not look her best, I will spare delicate readers the details.   She wasn't very happy and started ranting about her ex.   Despite her teeth having parted company with her mouth she managed to shout at one point, "And He preferred her to me" . Both me and my mate had to try not to laugh and the comment back in the car was the very non politically correct one of "I can see why".   In our defence it was a long time ago.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[81C]

 

 

 

It's obviously April 1st because Virgin Media have sent me an email asking me to clink on a link to update my details otherwise they'll cut me off. From what I know not as I don't purchase anything from them.

 

 

 

Bob.

I got the same email this morning, I have a media package with them and I phone their Far Eastern call centre as you do to check, Mr CC Man advised me it was a scam, I must admit it was very convincing mail very well done I would imagine some folk would be easy duped by it so beware everyone. 

[emt_911]

POETS actually happened today. It makes a nice change.

 

Ian (OD) - Good news about Alison, but, as you say, how to remove some of that stress.

 

I don't think that much will be done this afternoon

[Ian Abel]

Why should it be an EU thing.  It seems to happen in a few counties in this country.

Far as I know (I'm sure it's not LEGAL of course) it happens rather more than "regularly" in most of the southern states in the US. Folks in the back woods down there tend to not know ANYONE they aren't related to!    

 

Happy HUMP day...

Yesterday in spite of the delay of her flight, Mrs was retrieved from JFK with relatively little pain/anguish, and the traffic was pretty good both directions.

We went to a delightful French restaurant, Le Chat Noir, for dinner last night - hadn't been there before as it's only open Wednesday through Sunday - very enjoyable.

 

Was in the dungeon at 0740 for the start of "Go Live" day...phones started ringing off the hook at 0801! Surprisingly (NOT REALLY!) most all the calls are a how do I do <insert basic requirement here> as 99.999999999999999% of the callers hadn't actually remembered ANY training, and hadn't also reviewed the REQUIRED VIEWING video that they were requested to review this week prior to go-live. Cockwombles!!

 

Today is supposed to be "light' compared to Monday, so it should be a real cluster by then

 

On the good side, they don't work on the weekend (WHAT???) so the weekend is free for Mrs and me to go explore...

 

Make the best of any POE opportunities you have/get.

[Andrew P]

Hi All, I've just had a Voice / Text message from Jock, all I could make out from the automated Voice was;

 

Please tell everyone I'm back in Hospital.

 

Unfortunately I know no more than that at this stage but will up-date if I get any more news.

[Purley Oaks]

Good to hear from Jock, hope things turn out well. Glad to hear about Ian OD's Alison, too. And word from Dave TG about Is.

 

Have been lurking all week - this final bout of chemo has been really knackering. Usually just feel tired for 6,7 or 8 days, this time it's 11 and counting! Be pleased when it finishes on Monday.

 

And Ian Roundhouse's train early, too. On April 1st? Wonderful.

 

Ian Abels' restuarant sounds great - no wind probs there, I hope.

 

Mal

[AndyID]

Far as I know (I'm sure it's not LEGAL of course) it happens rather more than "regularly" in most of the southern states in the US. Folks in the back woods down there tend to not know ANYONE they aren't related to!    

 

 

Not unlike the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, or maybe it's just a coincidence that they are all called MacLeod? Is it also a coincidence that Donald Trump's mother was a MacLeod from Lewis? Might that explain anything? Only sayin' - of course.

[iL Dottore]

Afternoon All,

Another version for you to listen to, iD -

.While there may be discussion over who sings the song best, I don't think there would be any disagreement over who looks best while singing it.

Thanks for the link, very different to the other version of Pancho & Lefty I've heard her sing. Call me overly critical, but this version sounds a bit like "elevator music" (despite her amazing voice). Call me a sexist oinker if you will, but I think that this song is the sort that absolutely has to be sung by a feller. I've heard a number of female artists versions and (for me) they just don't really make the grade. Another song in the "for blokes only" category (and another where the cover is better than the original) is Bod Dylan's "Man In The Long Black Coat"

The first cover version is ELP (love Greg Lake's vocals!)

The next is from Cheap Wine:

Funnily enough !ncest was only made a crime in the UK in IIRC the 1860's along with other similar offences.   At that time the age of consent was 13.   However the first laws against animal cruelty go back a lot further to IIRC The Knackers Act in the 1700's.   Strange set of priorities.

 

Jamie

I wouldn't say that. It's only recently that children have been regarded as anything more than "mini" adults, so presumably the thinking was that if the sprog was old enough to go down the mines/join the navy/work in the fields/pick pockets/etc. they were old enough to speak for themselves, whereas animals have absolutely no voice beyond what we (humans) provide for them.

 

As to 1ncest, it really must be a huge attraction between siblings or parents/offspring to overcome the built in instinct to avoid mating with a first degree relative (to avoid all that 12-finger, cleft palate, low/no IQ business). Animals will mate with first degree relatives if there is no other opportunity, but generally the impetus is to breed with fellow species members who have as little in common genetically as possible (this discussion can go into some really interesting areas: such as why mongrels - in general - tend to have fewer health problems than pure-breeds [hybrid vigour!]). As the weekend is coming up, I'd like to throw out a reading suggestion: Larry Niven's Protector (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pak_Protector) which gives a whole new meaning to "keeping it in the family" (and, NO, it's not what you may think. Shame on you!)

...Flavio, how long before you can give the Epiphone a work out?

Not sure John. Apart from really needing to wait until the surgeon removes the stitches and the old nail which is currently protecting the nail bed, I would also have to retune the Epiphone Sheraton (currently in open G and I just got the tone right for ZZ Top's "Jesus Just Left Chicago" before the surgery, so I don't want to play around with the knobs again). I'll probably use the Yamaha Compass that I have (which is this one: http://www.keymusic.com/item/yamaha-cpx15eii-compass-east-sandburst/).It has a great tone and can be used as a straightforward acoustic or as an electro-acoustic.

 

As you may have guessed, I am a bit of a "gear head". Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) Mrs iD has severely curtailed my collecting (and the doggies have impacted upon my playing. Their playing takes precedence over mine). Nonetheless, I am always on the lookout for interesting guitars, like the Bond Electraglide Mick Jones plays on BAD's "Bottom Line"

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

I certainly wouldn't mind having a go on one of them.

 

And thus I leave you with a jingly jangly POETS evening

 

iD

Edited April 1, 2016 by iL Dottore

[iL Dottore]

Hi All, I've just had a Voice / Text message from Jock, all I could make out from the automated Voice was;

 

Please tell everyone I'm back in Hospital.

 

Unfortunately I know no more than that at this stage but will up-date if I get any more news.

Andrew, please pass on to Jock my and the ER mobs best wishes for a speedy return home

 

iD

[New Haven Neil]

Well, I thought it was an April fool, but not....

 

 

I have won £50 worth of goods and a years BRM subs from the Hattons questionnaire draw!  Ironic in some ways...being a competitor.  Not in their league of course, but nevertheless.....

[AndrewC]

ID. loving the ELP version. Dylan is one of those who make amazing music but I much prefer it performed by someone else. Same goes for Prince. Can't stand him but some of his compositions are wonderful.

 

ITS FRIDAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

My track order has arrived at Invicta !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I think you all know how I'll be spending my weekend.

 

Hoping Jock isn't in the horse's piddle for long.

 

as for in$est, one only needs to look at Norfolk. (only kidding, please don't slap me with your webbed hands) On the other hand, it does explain Donald Trump. A few years ago some of us coined a phrase to describe such people. "bruncledad" brother+uncle+dad all in one person.

Edited April 1, 2016 by AndrewC

[Purley Oaks]

as for in$est, one only needs to look at Norfolk. (only kidding, please don't slap me with your webbed hands) On the other hand, it does explain Donald Trump. A few years ago some of us coined a phrase to describe such people. "bruncledad" brother+uncle+dad all in one person.

All of the chat makes me wonder why this age doesn't coincide with the age of criminal responsibility which ranges from 14 to 21 across Europe - just thinking...

Mal

 

[Sidecar Racer]

Well, I thought it was an April fool, but not....

 

 

I have won £50 worth of goods and a years BRM subs from the Hattons questionnaire draw!  Ironic in some ways...being a competitor.  Not in their league of course, but nevertheless.....

 

 

 Don't forget to give the company address for delivery purposes .     

[AndyID]

as for in$est, one only needs to look at Norfolk. (only kidding, please don't slap me with your webbed hands)

 

If I didn't have six, I'd give you the middle finger.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Stop it! Just stop it! NOW!

[AndrewC]

AndyID, on 01 Apr 2016 - 18:28, said:

If I didn't have six, I'd give you the middle finger.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Stop it! Just stop it! NOW!

I've been to Idaho.    

[andyram]

Evening all. Sorry to hear that Jock is back in dock. Thanks to Andy.p for the update. I hope that we see our friend back on these pages soon. I would also like to wish Mal all the very best.

A much colder and more overcast day here in Derby today. I took Sarah for her blood test before we popped into a well known toy shop to buy Amber her promised reward. She has given up her pull up at night after she has managed ten dry nights in succession. Without the pull up she remained dry last night, even getting up to go to the toilet in the middle of the night. Incidentally there is now no point in counting the spots - she is covered in them. Thankfully she has not been ill with it thus far although the itching has started to upset her a little.

A final stop off at the pet shop saw us pick up some new hamster toys. Amber has been asking for a new hamster to replace the one that died earlier in the year. Once we get the cage prepared we will return to purchase the said animal.

Not a lot done this afternoon. We did sort the cupboard under the stairs so I have a pile of rubbish to take out to the garage ready for a tip run. The paper mounting remains though as the shredder packed up! I am beginning to tackle the spare room before I get into trouble. The model railway stuff has started to take over. I have ordered two new cupboards to store everything in, these arrive on Monday. Guess how I will be starting next week??

 

Enjoy the rest of the day.

[AndyID]

I'm sending my tax return today. I hope the IRS gets the joke.

[newbryford]

 

 

as for in$est, one only needs to look at Norfolk. (only kidding, please don't slap me with your webbed hands) On the other hand, it does explain Donald Trump. A few years ago some of us coined a phrase to describe such people. "bruncledad" brother+uncle+dad all in one person.

 

In certain Southern states within the USA, it's not unknown for a redneck to turn up with a female in tow, announcing them as "I've brought ma wife an' sister an' here she is.........."

 

Cheers,

Mick

[newbryford]

Best wishes to Jock.

 

Mick

[bbishop]

Signing off for a week or so.  Worried about Jock.

 

The rest of you, stay good.

 

Bill

[BSW01]

Just got back from a quick trip to our local Sainsbury's, where I cashed £15.00 worth of nectar points for a £30.00 voucher to by wine. So I ended up paying £3.25 for 5 bottles of wine.

 

That will keep us going for a couple of weeks, hic, hic.

[Tony_S]

If iD thinks Emmylou's version of Pancho and Lefty sounds like elevator music they must have good elevators in Switzerland. Though I would have thought the track was a bit long for Swiss elevators! B)