Early Risers.

[Barry O]

As a linguistic failure I can but shudder looking at the German grammar - and consider Dom's fantastic language skills!  As a Geordie I find English hard enough.  

Ah but with that sort of accent dutch comes quite easily as you may notice some similarity between the sounds of Dutch words and the way the North eastern folk say things... honest!

 

Baz

[emt_911]

A day of several ups and downs.

 

The first down was the amount of accidents I encountered on the motorways. It meant that a journey of 2.5 hours turned into 4 hours.

 

An up was signing off the audits for two engineers with only a couple of minor words of advice

 

The next down was all of the office problems that I had to deal with. This was topped by a late finish.

 

At least I've managed to have some decent food and a couple of pints of Hobgoblin.

 

Sympathies to anyone involved in the New Zealand earthquakes. Still waiting to hear if a friends family is okay.

 

I think that I've mentioned my language skills before. I can never get on with formal teaching, but, put me somewhere where I have to use it and I pick up the language quickly (except French)

 

Rick - That's something that no-one, no matter what their age should witness

 

No sign of the super moon thanks to all the cloud.

[Barry O]

How d'you think everyone else feels about mastering Geordie?

You mean how to learn to speak the Queens English? Its easy- buy a copy of Larn yersel Geordie (book by Scott Dobson or CD by Mike Neville and George House) , a bottle of methylated spirit and a match......Of course there are no posh books to tell you how to speak Yacker or them Posh people from Durham City!

 

Baz

[New Haven Neil]

How d'you think everyone else feels about mastering Geordie?

 

Aaa divvent knaa.

Ah but with that sort of accent dutch comes quite easily as you may notice some similarity between the sounds of Dutch words and the way the North eastern folk say things... honest!

 

Baz

 

Norwegian wasn't a problem when I was in Stavanger for two months!

[Horsetan]

Norwegian wasn't a problem when I was in Stavanger for two months!

No, but the price of alcohol was.

[pH]

Ah but with that sort of accent dutch comes quite easily as you may notice some similarity between the sounds of Dutch words and the way the North eastern folk say things... honest!

 

Baz

 

I would agree. Knowing Scots (or at least a dialect of it), some German, plus the subject matter, I once read a scientific paper written in Dutch quite comfortably.

[edcayton]

 Served with vegetables and roast potatoes.

 

Edit - as I did roast spuds instead mmmmmmm!

 

Someone must have been disappointed.

 

Ed

[Barry O]

nightie night to most!

 

Baz

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[emt_911]

Another long day tomorrow of audits and then the drive home. At least I don't have to be an early ER and I get a full English courtesy of the company.

 

Night all

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[newbryford]

nightie night to most!

 

Baz

 

It's early evening here.

 

Directly under the flightpath to Hunter AAF base. There may be some plane/helicopter spotting for the next day or two. As there's no really active battlezones out there, there shouldn't be any night flights.

 

Maybe catch up later, but my laptop's wi-fi adapter is being temperamental.

 

Cheer,

Mick

[roundhouse]

It's early evening here.

 

Directly under the flightpath to Hunter AAF base. There may be some plane/helicopter spotting for the next day or two. As there's no really active battlezones out there, there shouldn't be any night flights.

 

Maybe catch up later, but my laptop's wi-fi adapter is being temperamental.

 

Cheer,

Mick

That wall might appear overnight!

[BSW01]

Goodnight all

[laurenceb]

Night all

[newbryford]

That wall might appear overnight!

Didn't see too many southbound trucks on the I95 carrying construction materials today.....

 

Cheers

Mick

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

I had an e-mail from my friend Ben last month.  He is in New Zealand and wrote: “I’ve started working for the Earthquake Commission in Wellington which is a very pleasant change from [a firm of accountants] but not as inherently exciting as it might sound.”  This was, of course, before the earth moved.  I hope he is safe, and busy.

 

Much of my C*****mas message is drafted.  I hope to finish it today after the fodder run.  It is as good a way as any to keep in tenuous touch with old friends and relatives that I do not see as often as I would like.  Some are kind enough to say that they enjoy reading it.  They are not all noted for politeness.

 

I watched the tribute to Sir Terry Wogan on BBC1 last night.  What an atmosphere it must have been in the Albert Hall!  I thought that Take That’s rendering of ‘Never Forget’ was a blinder but it paled into insignificance compared with what Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, the Brighouse and Rastrick Band and the entire hall did with ‘Floral Dance’ – raised the roof by a good few metres, I guess.  I am reminded of a visit to a nearby pub many years ago. Having bought my pint I put some coins in the jukebox, as you do.  When one of my selections, 'Floral Dance', came on one of the guys playing pool growled “who the **** put that on?”  For some inexplicable reason I remained silent.  Clearly some people have no taste.  

 

Best wishes to the lonely and depressed, to all travellers and to the ailing, recovering, supporting, grieving and missing

 

Chris 

[Gwiwer]

I'm afraid I'd have to confirm it does Dom. And working in Public Transport accelerates it even more   I've noticed that my tolerance levels for certain groups, persons and behaviour is considerably down on, say, 20 yrs ago. It's a result of experiences of an incurable condition known as "Life", in which a certain level of inexcusable actions are performed in front of you, and sometimes often also behind you, combined with a falling general standard of accepted behaviour in private and public, sprinkled with witnessing downright criminal activities. The world is full of c0ckwombles, idi0ts and Darwin Award contenders, try staying upbeat facing that daily level of incompetence

 

Cynic, me? Now who ever gave you that idea

 

The industry'e version of compassion-fatigue.  I recognise the symptoms and know a fair proportion of my colleagues would fall into the scenario described.  I find myself more resilient and understanding as the years go by despite the condition known as "Life" usually meaning that those who travel upon public transport are pre-disposed to leave their grey-matter at home before departure.  There is a decline in behavioural standards and most certainly in the respect accorded to others by the masses of the Great Unwashed.  It is no reflection upon any of us that some deal with that in a different way to others.  We are all individuals and we are all capable of having good and bad days also.

 

Sometimes "Life" wins little victories.  For example this exchange which actually gained me applause from most of the crowded platform around me who became aware of a raised voice:

- "Don't tell me there's another f*****g problem"

- "I'm sorry madam.  I know you all had a badly delayed ride home last night however tonight the police have closed the line and we cannot run trains until they say so"

- "What the actual f***???  

- "Again my apologies madam but we are waiting for police clearance before we can run your train

- "Do you actually know who the f*** I am?"

Having many other delayed customers to attend to I turned to the crowd and asked

- "There's a lady here doesn't seem to know who she is.  Can anyone help her?" 

- "You're a f******g moron.  You keep me waiting here for TWO nights when I'm trying to get home, you can't run the trains you advertise and you can't offer anything like an apology"

- "I acknowledge your frustration madam however I have offered apologies for your delay already.  Again I am sorry that you are being kept waiting"

- "Well f*** you"

- "I'm sorry madam but there's a waiting list for that as well .......... "

Cue crowd response.  Exit disgruntled shouty woman having been put down with disarming calm and a few well-chosen words.

 

Best wishes to all.  I'm off to put my gout-inflamed feet up after having had to stand on them for seven hours in safety boots.  Please hold Nooziland in place - we don't want her shaken too far off the map!

[Robert]

Morning All,
 

It is a little warmer this morning - there was no sign of a frost, but there was a light rain.

 

Time for a coffee!

 

Have a good day everyone...

[Barry O]

Hey up! Up early to go and do some helping with the Grantham layout. Getting out of our drive would be easy apart from the uckwits who can't read the Keep clear sign!

 

Have a good time and nighty night Rick.

 

Baz

[emt_911]

Morning all. A good nights sleep before a potential day from hell.

 

Time for breakfast and coffee.

 

Have a good day everyone

[TheQ]

Morning all, I awoke Five hours ago so I'm going to have great difficulty staying awake at work.

 

The journey in was some what strange, well it wasn't raining, so I did see the moon, ,bright I thought, but that was about it.

Then after driving down our gravelled tarmac road (see yesterday) I turned onto the next road and after reaching the speed limit of 40MPH I had to brake fairly heavily to avoid a herd of female Red deer, I guess the Male had already crossed the road.  Several miles later getting out on to the main road there was heavy traffic? it's 06:15 in the morning!!  Normally I See may be half a dozen cars on the 25 mile journey in, very rapidly I had that many behind me as I trundled along at the 60MPH speed limit. and similar groups of cars were coming the other way. there must be a road closure / accident somewhere but it wasn't on the local radio.

 

Talking of wild life I meant to mention before that while be were rigging up our boats at the sailing club on Sunday an Otter was sat on the other bank of the dyke (all of 10 feet away) eating a fish paying no attention to us on all our boats making lots of noise.

 

I'll be having a six monthly diabetic medical in a couple of weeks, included in that They'll weigh me,

 

Err

I've been to the end of season dinner( summer sailing club)

And to the Trafalgar dinner  (winter sailing club)

This week on Thursday I have a works section dinner, (ties in with the visit of a big boss from America)

On Saturday we have the Summer sailing clubs, officers dinner  to thank those who help the club.

The following week is the Winter sailing clubs monthly social event, this time Bingo,  bangers and mash.

Early December is SWMBOs weaving group Christmas dinner,

Shortly followed by the MRC Dinner.

There will  probably be SWMBO's art group Christmas dinner some time about then.

Sometime in this period there will be the section Christmas dinner.

Oh and then the Summer sailing clubs Christmas dinner (winter sailing club invited).

Luckily they've decided to move the Works Formal Christmas dinner to mid January !!!

By which time there'll be another Winter sailing club social event.

Then in February there is Burns Night.

Then in March there will be the end of Season dinner and prize giving for the winter sailing club

Followed the next week by the Summer sailing clubs rigging out dinner.

 

 How am I supposed to keep my weight down?

[Gwiwer]

Morning all. A good nights sleep before a potential day from hell.

 

 

 

Speaking of which.  The carrier known as DHHell has struck again.

 

Had issues with them before.  Attempt to deliver = driver pulls up at the end of the drive and drops card in mailbox saying "Sorry we missed you."  You didn't miss me - you made no attempt to deliver anything because I was home and saw you.  

 

Text message received the other day advising I have an article in transit.  Not sure what as I'm not expecting anything except the renewed passport.  Must be that.  "Proposed" delivery day was yesterday but as I was unable to stay home for Justin Case I used the included link to select my preferred delivery date and received and acknowledgement.  Next Monday.  Within a few hours another text arrives, same reference number, same content.  I've already dealt with it, thinks I, and sorts this one straight to the electronic waste paper basket.  Yesterday morning another message "You item is ready for delivery" but with delivery now scheduled for today (Tuesday) meaning had I taken a day off work for Justin Case he wouldn't have turned up and I would have lost a day's pay.  So again I use the link to reschedule delivery for next Monday and received an acknowledgement.  Today I receive a message "We have been unable to deliver your item ......... which has been returned to our depot for your collection".  GRRRRRRRR.  But still the link was available to have it delivered on a day of my choice.  I tried again.  A warning appeared. "You have already selected a delivery date - use of this feature will over-write that request".  By now muttering something in Pseudo-German about DHHell (which is a German business) I abandoned hope of reason and will wait to see whether Justin Case appears with my package next Monday.  

 

And once I have the package I shall happily tell them exactly what I think of their appallingly inept service.  Not that I had any choice in the carrier.  But it's (probably) my passport in their hands and it is needed in my hands.

[roundhouse]

A hat trick this week. All our normal trains have been rubbish so far.

This mornings train cancelled (running fast from Gatwick to East Croydon due to being delayed at Three Bridges - no reason given) which joins the cancelled one yesterday morning and the one home last night being 28 minutes late.

Really getting fed up of this mess by Southern Failway.

 

Edit

 

Apparently many of the onboard cameras monitoring the doors failed.

Edited November 15, 2016 by roundhouse

[TheQ]

Speaking of which.  The carrier known as DHHell has struck again.

 

Had issues with them before.  Attempt to deliver = driver pulls up at the end of the drive and drops card in mailbox saying "Sorry we missed you."  You didn't miss me - you made no attempt to deliver anything because I was home and saw you.  

 

We've had the same from them and from Business express, DHL also reported having made 3 attempts to deliver on another parcel, they never even came down our road. Then they  sent it back to the supplier even though I had been in contact with DHL (before the third attempt to deliver). I had to get the supplier to send it with a different  courier. DHL small parcels have been sold to Yodel, unfortunately with the same staff.

 

The best deliverers,  Amazon but who does their local delivery I don't know, because never having had a problem I've not had to contact them (SWMBO is always in to collect parcels).

 

Oh we have had several times the odd phone call "where are you, we are on the Fakenham road, just pulling into your village".

 

 To which our reply is " fourty miles away, thats the wrong village, look at the post code"