Early Risers.

[newbryford]

 

 

Hmmm - maybe I am becoming less tolerant or just a grumpy old man!

 

A prerequiste of being a grumpy old man is being less tolerant..................... (of cockwombles)

 

Cheers,

Mick

[laurenceb]

I bet all the cockwombles will be heading for Burton when one of the bridges over the Trent is closed for the next three months! Cockwomble heaven!!

Edited August 27, 2017 by laurenceb

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple here,

Back to a normal, 6.5 hour of very interrupted sleep trying to find a comfortable position.

 

I can move though this morning, so walling will commence, in a couple of hours.

 

In the continuous flow of cars on our single track road yesterday, just one cockwomble outside our gate. Postman Pat stopped to empty the box alongside our fence. Almost immediately Audiwomble pulls up and straight away start beeping his horn. It take less than a minute to empty a box just what is the hurry?

 

Also during the day we had several confused mamils in their yellow jerseys go down the road to the beach And then cycle back up. Their cycle GPS shows a road going along to coast, what it doesn't show is the road is soft sand, a little difficult to cycle on, on racing tyres.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

I treated myself yesterday.  Because I needed to pop into town to buy a condolences card I took the opportunity to indulge in a ‘Spoons breakfast.  Later I watched the Miss Marple play on the TV and was shocked to realise that it was first shown 33 years ago!  I reckon that Joan Hickson’s portrayal of Agatha Christie’s creation was by far the best.   Shortly before noon postie brought an envelope containing something that I bought on E-bay on Friday.  It is a piece of railway paperwork which will keep me quiet for hours.  After entering my feedback I was of course distracted by seeing what else could be purchased.   Nothing tempted me.  A friend in Area Group is very good indeed at winning bargains and I suppose I ought to check more often to see what is on offer.

 

Today may not be terribly productive.  Lunch will be gammon steak and such trimmings as I can defrost.  The order of most of the rest of the day will be unspecified pottering.  One item definitely not on the agenda today is venturing out on the road network.  Today is, of course, Sunday, when legend has it that a certain breed takes to the roads in great numbers.  Countless years ago now the great songwriter and social commentator Jeremy Taylor produced a telling ditty entitled “Red Velvet Steering Wheel Cover Driver”.  The person that he portrays has more than an element of the cockwomble and we have all come across him/her/it.

 

Best wishes and felicitations to all in distress and recovery. 

 

Chris

[jamie92208]

Morning all from what looks like a sunny village.   I managed to get most of the bits of the layout that I need, up to the chapel.   Some tidying did get done then a very pleasant evening watching the rugby.  Peter BB has summed it up very well, what a cracking game.   

 

Now church duties this morning before starting to put the layout up this afternoon.

 

Hopefully, apart from a few short local journeys, I will not have to venture onto the road network.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

The sun is shining and although we've just had a brief rain shower a fine & dry day is forecast.

I'm absolutely knackered after yesterday. First off started with helping with domestics which involved a "deep clean" in the lounge. Guess who got to move all the furniture etc However I did go on strike at noon to watch the cricket interspersed with some FI qualifying. Great display of batting by the two West Indian century makers.

 

It was  the rugby though that was the icing on the cake. As Peter & Jamie have said it was a fantastic game, one of the best I've had the pleasure of watching for many years. Both teams showed total commitment and never gave up. Their sportsmanship and demeanour throughout was exemplary and in direct contrast to the disgusting exhibition I saw in the news  at the weigh-in of the so-called boxing match. I'm glad that I no longer follow -the sport  it.

 

Later today we are visiting Nicki's for "Uncle's  Day." As there doesn't seem to be one here in the UK Abbie, Joe & Gemma decided a couple of years ago that their uncle Steve deserved one for all the things he does for them. The day picked can be whenever every one can make it  so today is it.

Abbie is in charge and as she wants a career in events management this is good practice. (she has organised other family & friends functions of varying sizes)

Regarding her future she has an interview next week for an apprenticeship in exactly that

 

Before that however it looks like another exhausting day in front of the TV watching cricket & F1.

 

Have a great day,

Armchair sportsman of Sutton.

Edited August 27, 2017 by grandadbob

[45156]

Morning All

 

Quick check in and to offer the usual generic greetings.  Car booting as buyers this morning as soon as 30747 and house guest get themselves together.

 

Meantime, a quick agree about Chris's comment about the Joah Hickson portrayal of Miss Marple - nobody's perfomance of that character has ever come close - Margaret Rutherford tried, and was pretty, well, Margaret Rutherford.  The later attempts were useless.  Likewise there has only ever been one Poirot - David Suchet.

 

Back later

Regards to All

Stewart

[DDolfelin]

Regarding my 'third man' remark, I saw 48 runs scored in that area by the Windies during the Test highlights.

That represents a respectable contribution from an extra middle order batsman.

Allowing for boundaries to be reduced to singles it makes it worthwhile in my opinion.

Where to take that fielder from? 

I didn't see a single ball go to the Silly Mid On area.

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Quick visit before setting off to do some umpiring.

 

Sunny outside so may get to stand in shirt sleeve order.

 

Cockwombles on the back road to Harrogate yesterday abounded including two tractors who struggled past each other on the very twisty and narrow road.

 

Have a great time whatever you do.

 

Baz

[Andrew P]

I bet all the cockwombles will be heading for Burton when one of the bridges over the Trent is closed for the next three months! Cockwomble heaven!!

It wouldn't be so bad Laurence, BUT as you know, there are only 2 crossings in Burton, so I'm not looking forward to it.

[RhBBob]

The talk of 'cockwombles' reminded me of the two containers lorries passing through our 30 mph limit, one overtaking the other. Recently I filled in the annual Rural Crime survey form regarding local issues such as police presence, local patrols, perceived levels of rural crime, etc.. Sorry, but with nothing to write about, I was mildly sarcastic as usual !!

 

Ah well, some good news; first cataract operation is in mid-November, hopefully followed by second a few weeks later. Interestingly the subject turned up in Wifey's newspaper. Apparently, the NHS is now encouraging folks to seek the operation rather than - as in the past -  ignoring requests, particularly from elderly folk who were encouraged to think that nothing could be done. Perhaps they are at last equating a longer life span with general mobility issues ?  Hopefully a letter about the 'small finger joint replacement' will follow very soon......and the world can again be treated to my lousy guitar playing, accompanied by a rusty voice.  Funny how that operation was previously discouraged on the grounds that failure would result in the finger joint being locked; suddenly the consultant was keen to arrange it. Maybe they are short of business ?  All free of course at a Private Hospital with whom I intend to maintain contact, come what may !!

 

Back to the leylandii cutting today, as some aches and pains have receded.....although the giant bruise on my skinny left arm remains visible..

 

Looks like BH weather today....but then again......

[Stubby47]

One of those weird, once-in-a-lifetime, dates today.

 

I turned 54 in July, Mandy turns 54 today, and there is 54 days between us.

 

Off to enjoy the sunshine at one of the NT venues in Cornwall.

 

Pleasant greetings to all, especially if it's your birthday too.

[grandadbob]

After my earlier post and thinking of how lazy I've been lately I got on the scales. They cried out in pain so instead of sitting on my backside I have decided to venture into the undergrowth outside and do some grumbling gardening. Sharp implements and electrical equipment will be put to use. A & E have been put on red alert. 

[AndyB]

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

Plans for the day are more brisk walks and blackberrying.

A visitor has promised to bring an apple crumble due to the surfeit of apples in her garden. 

We'll reciprocate by sending her home with pears. 

 

I installed a heart rate monitor on my phone and have been testing it out.

My conclusion is that my heart is working and I may survive to the end of typing thi

[JohnDMJ]

In the continuous flow of cars on our single track road yesterday, just one cockwomble outside our gate. Postman Pat stopped to empty the box alongside our fence. Almost immediately Audiwomble pulls up and straight away start beeping his horn. It take less than a minute to empty a box just what is the hurry?

 

.

 

We often hear car horns protesting about the level crossing gates near work; it's not uncommon for them to be lowered for 40 minutes every hour (total, not continuous!)

 

Said level crossing is a (very) regular haunt of this vehicle and we have suggested that one be sent with each fine issued. (You'll note it has ANPR!)

 

(A better description would be a 'Level Crossing Observation Vehicle'. Apparently, it makes a fortune in fines at our crossing!)

Edited August 27, 2017 by JohnDMJ

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I'm still here but just going out for the day. Be back later.

[Horsetan]

...a quick agree about Chris's comment about the Joan Hickson portrayal of Miss Marple - nobody's perfomance of that character has ever come close ....

Joan Hickson was the definitive Miss Marple, to the extent that it's difficult to remember her for the other productions she acted in. I can only remember her for one other rôle, as an elderly lady in John Cleese's Clockwise.

[40F]

Joan Hickson was the definitive Miss Marple, to the extent that it's difficult to remember her for the other productions she acted in. I can only remember her for one other rôle, as an elderly lady in John Cleese's Clockwise.

 

 

Also as Thelma`s mother in the Likely Lads which also stared Bill Owen as the father of James Bolam`s character [ I can`t for the life of me remember his screen name] 

[emt_911]

Morning all. Late on parade as I decided to extend my morning swim to 2 miles as I'm not planning on walking (or driving) anywhere today.

 

A day of taking it easy enjoying the sun with an interruption for the GP.

 

Time for another coffee.

 

Have a good day everyone.

[Happy Hippo]

Regarding the rugby I see that the Australian coach is complaining about the ref  Nigel Owens.

 

As is usual with losing Australian sports persons, when their plane touches down in Sydney the whining will continue long after the engines have closed down.

[laurenceb]

Meantime, a quick agree about Chris's comment about the Joah Hickson portrayal of Miss Marple - nobody's perfomance of that character has ever come close - Margaret Rutherford tried, and was pretty, well, Margaret Rutherford.  The later attempts were useless.  Likewise there has only ever been one Poirot - David Suchet.

 

As you do when reading a book I had an image in my mind, years later that image came to life - Joan Hickson. The only time that has happened. Joan Hickson was Miss Marple

Morning awl

[The Stationmaster]

Also as Thelma`s mother in the Likely Lads which also stared Bill Owen as the father of James Bolam`s character [ I can`t for the life of me remember his screen name] 

 

Bill Owen was Thelma's father - George Chambers.  Joan Hickson played her mother in the first series but not the second series  (when George was caught out entertaining his secretary at the hotel the lads had chosen asa  base for a fishing weekend).   Oddly Rodney Bewes, who lives locally seems to have turned out the way you would have expected James Bolam's character to have turned out - always looks miserable when you see hime in the town, often 'under the affluence of incohol' should you happen across him on a return rail journey from London, and having a major spat with George Harrison's widow through the pages of the local paper over some razor wire she put on her boundary fence.

 

Anyway back to real life and good morning all.  Excellent garden visit yesterday at the local NT property where we both love the garden, especially the veg garden.  But as ever the catering is a minor disaster - while I actually managed to get a bacon bap it was allegedly one of the last two and was accompanied by a 'salad garnish' - three small lettuce leaves and a thin slice of tomato.  When you see the highly productive and varied vegetable garden you really wonder why the catering doesn't take advantage of its produce?  But as ever if Mrs Stationmaster voices an opinion of all this to the NT they will take no notice - a great pity as it really lets down visitors who want to eat and quite bluntly isn't a patch on the catering (albeit with no hot food) the volunteer ladies used to achieve in the older building they used which had far fewer kitchen facilities - a great shame.

 

Anyway no doubt today's Tesco visit will be as interesting as yesterday, as usual, as the pestival has the effect of driving all the shoppers from this side of the river in Reading in our direction rather than them shopping locally hence the shop gets unduly busy.  And of course that lawn and the adjacent 'longer grass area' (aka jungle) continue to dry out - excuses have vanished due to the wrong kind of Bank Holiday weather.

 

Enjoy your day one and all.

Edited August 27, 2017 by The Stationmaster

[Judge Dread]

I have just returned from my once every two weekly run out with my Citroen Berlingo van to charge the battery etc. The said vehicle is now on borrowed time as it will be surplus to requirements after my layout's final exhibition here in Hull in November. 

A pleasant drive of about 30 miles or so only spoilt by the bank holiday cockwombles. The road I use back is a dual carriageway but typical of local planning it is marked with two lanes both ways and parking bays. They make the left lane hazardous to those who don't know the width of their vehicles.  At the junction leading on to this test of nerve, most of us take the righthand lane. Today I watched as a henwomble set off from the left lane, marked turn left, and roared ahead at a speed of well over 30 M.P.H. to undertake the 4 cars ahead of me. When we arrived at my right turn junction the traffic lights were red but the filter light came on as I moved out to gain that lane. I made a point of stopping alongside the speed demon, blew my horn and waved in a friendly manner.

Just in case no one noticed yesterday, there was another rugby match at Wembley. Hull R.L.F.C. took on Wigan Warriors and to quote the Duke of Wellington, "It was a damn close thing." 

Come on you 'ull!

From never winning at Wembley, the Airlie Birds have done it twice in succession now.

That other team in East Hull who's name escapes me at the moment, will be so sad.

 

 

I have no clear recollection of the incident(s).

Edited August 27, 2017 by Judge Dread

[bluebottle]

 

A pleasant drive of about 30 miles or so only spoilt by the bank holiday cockwombles. The road I use back is a duel carriageway ....

 

Typo or pun?

[Happy Hippo]

 I have just returned from my two weekly run out with my Citroen Berlingo van to charge the battery etc. 

 

Driving around in a Berlingo for a fortnight just to charge the battery?

 

Wow!