Early Risers.

[AndyB]

Morning all, and it's a sunny one here.

The firework display went well with many "ooohs, ahhhs & oooohs" from the crowd.

After days of hard work every muscle ached over the weekend to similar "ooohs, ahhhs, & ooohhs".

I think we put in about 5 or 6 hours work for every minute of display, but the sort of community activity that brings everyone together. 

Spent the weekend sitting on the sofa doodling a model railway plan. 

 

Diet news: The ktity is empty as everyone lost weight; there's a £5 forfeit for anyone that doesn't. One person lost 7 lbs this week which seems quite a lot as roughly speaking there's (very) roughly 1 and a half days calories in each lb of body weight. He must have done a lot of gardening!!

 

Anyway, off to the office now. Have a nice day everyone. 

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Bright and sunny out there so the G word has come to prominence almost as quickly as the dreaded vacuum cleaning instruction (not that last word - no excuses or memory lapses today it would seem).  But first another cuppa and a tour round here.

 

Enjoy your day everybody.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Bright but even windier and colder than yesterday. Glad to see you back Gordon. Not much else to report at the moment so bye for now, be back later.

[Oldddudders]

Morning All

 

A cold and miserable start here, with no more than 3 degrees when I fed the horses just after 8 GMT. And while that cold can be easily borne when it's sunny and you know the day is gonna get its act together, it is less bearable when it's largely overcast and showery, with a bit of a northerly breeze to cap it all! Varian's rug is staying firmly in place again today.

 

Sherry's opening night in Macbeth tonight. When she auditioned for this back in the Summer, she imagined it would be her only role this Autumn. Not so, with a fortnight of the Agatha Christie in September and a December run of Christmas Carol to round off this year's plays. So she feels less prepared than she would like, and by the sound of it the final dress rehearsal yesterday revealed a few other creaky performances. Let's hope it's alright on the night. Her friend/cleaner Michelle is due today. This is the lady who discovered her lover - and former childhood sweetheart - fatally collapsed in the loo early this year. The inquest is to take place in December. Clearly timeliness is not regarded as of the essence by the coroner.

 

Meanwhile my cleaner Alison has had a difficult weekend with Gerry, and I continue to urge her to finish it. After all, Tom is making supreme efforts to be the man she wants, even if the finances of his farm mean he can't upsticks and walk out for a couple of years if he wants to bring a bit of equity. I think common sense is now beginning to bite, so here's hoping.

 

I hope your week has started as you would hope, and continues serenely. 

[Happy Hippo]

I am back from my trek south and now have the luxury of a keyboard and not the perils of 'the tablet'.

 

i failed to make it clear during my earlier tale of bog refurbishment that this action, took place at my daughter and son in laws house where the Obergrumpenfuher and myself were staying. (All sanitary arrangements at the hippodrome are always in first class order.)

 

I managed to take in a trip to 'Steam' on Friday as the ladies wanted to go to the Swindon designer outlet.  I discovered someone has removed the handrails off the front of the 2500 gallon tender behind the venerable Dean Goods, which was annoying as I wanted to check them out for a future project.  Fortunately 'Truro's' 3000g tender still had them in place, so some notes were made.  I was also able to count the rivets on the back of 9400's bunker in order to contemplate finishing off my ex Wills kit of the same.

 

Saturday could have been a trip to Wycrail, but although I was on an eastbound train, it was to Paddington.  From there, we tubed under London to Westminster Abbey as the Obergrumpenfuhrer had been invited to a service of thanksgiving for the Guide and Scout movements. (I was the +1).  Our seats were right next to the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, decked out in poppies prior to the remembrance service(s) next weekend.

 

Very much in evidence around the Abbey was a large contingent of the Royal Navy's 'Silent Service'. On inquiring as to their presence I was told that originally, submariners were not permitted to walk in the main parade past the Cenotaph, so they had, many years ago, decided to have their own parade a week before. This ban has now been relaxed, but the parade was now such an established tradition for the submariners, that they have continued,

 

After the service we took a stroll down the south bank of the Thames to find the small, discrete and oft overlooked memorial to those whom were members of SOE. Then it was across Lambeth Bridge and up to the Guide Association HQ opposite the Royal Mews, before heading back to Paddington. (One has to visit HQ when one is down from the country retreat.)

 

Yesterday's drive back was interesting, it was a cold but clear day, interspersed with bands of heavy rain.

 

I won't mention the mediocre standards of driving displayed by a minority, save to say driving a road coloured car with no lights on, at well over the speed limit in the pouring rain is not to be advised.

 

The OFMC meets this evening with part two of the building with foamboard and DAS clay tutorials.

 

I bought some more DAS clay on Friday to replace the packet, deemed 'missing in action', so I'm fully expecting this errant bag to reappear, probably this afternoon, just prior to the meeting!

 

I must now trawl through some back pages of ERs in a feeble attempt at catching up.

Edited November 7, 2016 by Happy Hippo

[trisonic]

Welcome to London........you have to roll with it.

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

[The Stationmaster]

Blimey - 'Swindon designer outlet', that's one of the most amazing bits of word wrangling I have ever come across.

[Happy Hippo]

Welcome to London........you have to roll with it.

 

Best, Pete.

I was very impressed with the quantity of mud visible along the river banks.

 

The water quality looked pretty good:  It must have been passed through kidneys many times to have got to that level of purity

[Horsetan]

Blimey - 'Swindon designer outlet', that's one of the most amazing bits of word wrangling I have ever come across.

 

In the old days, it was called Swindon Works. And it did.

[The Stationmaster]

I was very impressed with the quantity of mud visible along the river banks.

 

The water quality looked pretty good:  It must have been passed through kidneys many times to have got to that level of purity

 

We specialise in passing water in order to ensure that it is of the right quality to be consumed by those downstream of us.  So if it's good enough for Windsor it's bound to be good enough for London with the added Royal seal of approval.

[Horsetan]

We specialise in passing water in order to ensure that it is of the right quality to be consumed by those downstream of us.  ....

 

(*League of Gentlemen*)

 

...but only through the upstairs convenience?

 

(/*League of Gentlemen*)

[TheQ]

Slept well last night even though the wind was howling around the house, probably something to do with a large whisky and two Ibprofen. I don't like taking too many pain killers but sometimes i really do need a good nights sleep. So no early rising today as I woke up only 10 minutes before the planned time of 05:00.

 

Good news, I found a pair Of trousers I bought in  Saudi arabia at least 15 years ago....... they still fit!!!

 

 I couldn't see the roads for layers of leaves and mud on the way to work, the sugar beet harvest is tying in with leaf fall this year.

 

Boiler failures are catching on here, because our boiler won't give us heat, although we have hot water, I'm glad we still have coal / wood stoves as well. SWMBO is insisting on cleaning the house before visitors, (the boiler men) so they haven't been called yet.

 

 Off to get polyfilla for the layout after work, blocks for the shed foundations and dowelling for a loom SWMBO has me making.

 

Now to measure more Ohms, I've already measured DCV and DCI on this Calibrator, OK so far...

Edited November 7, 2016 by TheQ

[81C]

Bought a wagon on fleebay last week, opened it this morning and found it had been sent by Barry O, nice packing Barry 5* service. 

[edcayton]

 

 

 

 

Very much in evidence around the Abbey was a large contingent of the Royal Navy's 'Silent Service'. On inquiring as to their presence I was told that originally, submariners were not permitted to walk in the main parade past the Cenotaph, so they had, many years ago, decided to have their own parade a week before. This ban has now been relaxed, but the parade was now such an established tradition for the submariners, that they have continued,

 

 

I wonder if this dates back to the days of submarine warfare being considered "ungentlemanly" by those in surface ships?

 

Ed

[Tony_S]

Afternoon.

Back in England. Having a dubious latte in Chobham services. At least the coffee is warm. Should be home in an hour after we leave here.

Tony

[roundhouse]

Welcome to London........you have to roll with it.

 

Best, Pete.

Just saw a bloke ride straight through a red light into the traffic that had right of way across the junction. The girl following behind thought about doing the same but decided to wait.

[Oldddudders]

Bought a wagon on fleebay last week, opened it this morning and found it had been sent by Barry O, nice packing Barry 5* service. 

 

My recent ebay success was from a more ordinary seller, and just a large postcard, from the series that Lyman E Cox put out some decades back. But the photo itself - a Rio Grande Southern Galloping Goose in snow - was taken by Donald Duke, famous for lovely images of Southern Pacific. He also founded Golden West books. And the item was bought on November 1st, delivered here today - from California. Good feedback has been left!

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

AWOL recently, I'm afraid, and though I have skimmed the posts since Friday, I haven't rated or totally digested everybody's contributions, but did see that Gordon's managed to pop in to visit us, and that's most welcome.  Now what's about the collie queen, who hasn't posted for a few weeks.

 

It has to be generic greetings all round, except to comment on Rick's progress.  I do like Wakehurst, and when we lived in Surrey and were NT members, we visited there on many occasions, and walking round it did give a lot of pleasure - we also saw the loss of a major garden there after the hurricane, and watched it being developed into something totally different.  Just think, if you do move near there, you'd be nice and handy for the Bluebell.

 

Got to pop out soon, as taxi driving duty calls, as does making the dinner - sausage and chips, anybody?

 

Back later/tomorrow

Regards to All

Stewart

[Ian Abel]

Morning.

Very busy but overall uneventful weekend. Time with family, organizing "stuff" around the house, and of course, getting sorted for a dungeon visit followed by a few days in the UK <muffled cries of YAY!!>.

Will try and back-track all the weekend posts, until then, congratulation/commiserations as appropriate.

Nice to see Gordon back (did manage to catch that).

 

IMPORTANT - be sure to be seated, I don't want anyone having a cardiac arrest;

The flight to JFK last night, LEFT EARLY and arrived EARLY! Weather was perfect both in Minneapolis AND NYC, and there was no flustercuck at ANY POINT!

Best trip so far to Long Island - of course, having said that, I'm sure I'm in for it next time

We overflew Manhattan inbound to Kennedy, amazing clear night sky, here's a shot of lower Manhattan from about 12,000ft.

 

Hopefully I'll still be around and able to report tomorrow, so long as the entire US doesn't implode on Election Day   I've already voted (as I'm not at my prescribed voting location) so will at least avoid any clusters at the polling station - sounds like that may be an option in some places

 

6 and sunny here driving to the dungeon, 13 forecast for the high. Due to the STILL silly unseasonable weather back home, it's actually going to be colder here by about 5 degrees, for the high!

 

Hope everyone has a good start to their week.

[Gwiwer]

(*League of Gentlemen*)

 

...but only through the upstairs convenience?

 

(/*League of Gentlemen*)

 

This is local water for local people.  There's nothing for you here. 

 

In other news - Duncan and Jamie, also those who have sent PMs, thank you.  Your offers of support and good wishes are most appreciated.

 

Technically it's Cheeseday as the clock has passed midnight.  Mentally it's still Moanday as I have yet to visit the snorium after return from the Palace.  As my appointment with the former cannot be delayed much longer and must precede my return to the latter I'll bid you all a good day.  Or night.  Other times of other days are available.  

[AndyB]

Afternoon all,

Not sure Debs being MiA - more like she's camouflaged waiting for someone to transgress! 

 

I've just watched a 12 minute demo of a CRM system. I believe somone called an ambulance after about 7 minutes as my pulse had weakened and I appeared to not be breathing. 

I now understand why the CRM system had so little meaningful data in it - most people had slipped into a coma shortly after logging in. 

I'm fairly certain an Excel spreadsheet would have done the job better. And cheaper. 

 

Hey-ho. 

 

Thinking of buying some plywood. 

[Purley Oaks]

Now crawling between Purley and Purley Oaks

Careful!

 

Great pic of Manhattan at night, Ian, thanks for posting.

 

Today not quite so cold as yesterday because the breeze has died down. The Edinburgh skyline is sharp against a crisp blue sky. From the looks of the weather forecast it'll get worse this week before it gets better.

 

Have a good day

 

Mal

Edited November 7, 2016 by Purley Oaks

[trisonic]

Very similar here Mal! Crisp and very sharp - should last all week, so you should get it later......

 

Strictly speaking (and it was exceptionally clear last night) in Ian’s photo  Manhattan Island is in the middle (with Central Park clearly visible), Brooklyn (fine shot of Red Hook for H.P. Lovecraft fans), Bayonne, New Jersey on middle right (Jersey City under engine). The bridge at the top is the Verrazano Narrows bridge linking Brooklyn to Staten Island.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited November 7, 2016 by trisonic

[Tony_S]

Back home now.

I have pressed all the buttons for the central heating and the house is getting warm.

We enjoyed the holiday but I am pleased to be home now. I really don't plan to do much more than contribute to the unpacking and washing of clothes process. I do think we need some lighter suitcases though. Matthew borrowed our ultra lightweight cases. I think we may not get them back soon!

Tony

[shortliner]

Here in the Highlands we have SNOW starting to affect some of the higher routes, and it has settled on many of the mountains around Inverness. More is forecast over the next several weeks and months. I'd like to ask those of you who drive, to take five minutes out of your busy lives to watch the following, and if you are driving in winter conditions, to REMEMBER IT! The life it saves just might be yours!

 

Please put your sound on now

 

Edited November 7, 2016 by shortliner