Early Risers.

[BR60103]

As follow up to last month's inspection, we went in to have blood samples taken. We were there early (second in line) and were told that our forms wouldn't work as our doctor had retired and her name was off the list. So we had to wait a half hour unti the office opened at 9 and they said they would have a new set of forms faxxed. This was prompt and we managed to be out just over an hour after we went in.

 

Cat is pestering me again. He's had his 3 sets of kibble (one mouthful or less each time).  I think that cats can count but they don't believe we can.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

Yesterday I mentioned that I had been considering an upgrade of my mobile phone.  As I was charging the hitherto trusty Nokia I found damage to the charging port, which I am sure would cost more to fix than the phone is worth.  A lump of Blu-tack persuaded the lead to stay in contact with the port until charging was completed but the upshot is that I need to go shopping, and soon.  I had hoped not to have to do this until after my return from down under.  Needless to say I know next to nothing about posh modern phones.  My e-friend Harry tells me that he uses an i-phone, from which I deduce that he has more money than sense.  When he was a student he managed to cut himself on one.

 

The missing socks are still missing, proving beyond reasonable doubt that I am one of the untidiest men on the planet, which is entirely my own fault.  Perhaps I should tidy my bedroom instead of going to bed early and reading.

 

Today I have an appointment with Sister Syringe for my hormone injection, followed by the rigmarole of booking the appointment for the next one.  It would be too simple just to ask for one twelve weeks hence, because the template will not yet be on the system.  Harridans 1, Chris nil.  Lunch will be the first instalment of a big beef stew once it has simmered for a further hour or so and had the dumplings added - just the thing for a cold day.  Now watch the temperature rise …

 

Should it be of interest to anyone, I will be at St Evenage on Sunday, complete with means of identification and an advance ticket

 

Warm thoughts to all in distress or missing, with the hope that Sandy’s treatment continues to proceed as intended.

 

Chris

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

It's dark and cold this morning - but dry.

 

Time for a coffee!

 

Have a good day everyone...

[TheQ]

On stilts?

 

Yes... This was the winning design, the least worst of the monstrosities which entered the competition.

Note 1, It will be a little further back from the river than shown to allow for boats to moor along the front.

Note 2, See  how it dominates the area, it would be seen for miles behind the building as it's all flat marshes and fen land..

 

 

[dseagull]

Morning all.

 

Muggacoffee at the ready, work shortly. Dry here as well, but cold - BBC weather gives snow here next week, but no doubt time for that to change at least 7 times before then!

 

Hope all have a good day.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple here,

5.5 hours sleep, woken by SWMBO's snuffliing, she has a cold again..

No further sleep was had, brain was in over drive again, about supports for the fold out scenic section of Tiree, I was going to use Big orange shed wooden shelf brackets but having had a look at them £5.50 for a pounds worth of wood and two screws. I'll either make my own or I'm thinking of an alternative, drawings may occur during today's waiting times..

 

It's been announced Heatrae Sadia is closing their factory in Norwich 204 jobs to go, I pass their factory every day...

https://www.edp24.co.uk/business/200-jobs-lost-at-heatrae-sadia-1-5845978

 

It's a shrapnel day, that is clearing all sorts of little bits and pieces, unless that is the boss doesn't approve the two cross check runs. But he won't be getting in for another 2.5 hours, so I'd better be getting rid of some of them..

 

Time to.. take another measurement..

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone

 

It’s another cold start to the day but unlike yesterday, we don’t have a frost. Sheila is getting ready for her Zumba class, once she’s gone I’ll make a start on some more celeriac soup. I made a batch a few weeks ago and it went down very well, so another batch will be made later. Tonight we have James and Amelia coming round for tea, for some reason, which escapes us both they can’t make it tomorrow evening. This is really going to confuse us both (which really isn’t difficult) as tomorrow morning we’ll both think it’s Saturday!

 

Back later

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a distinctly frosty bit of France.   There is a ground frost and at 09.15 a yellow object has appeared in the sky but the roof tiles across the road are still a white tinted orange colour.

 

We got a lot done yesterday.   I moved 4 large barrow loads of tree brash and part of the drive has seen the light of day again.   In the afternoon Beth and I managed to spend 2 hours booking hotels and hire cars for our Ruby wedding trip in April and May.   I even managed to sort out airport assistance for one of the internal flights.  I still have to sort it for the others in Oz.  

 

The yellow orb in the sky means that I will continue with the brash clearance today and then hopefully spend a little time in the shed with a soldering iron.

 

By the way we have watched and enjoyed watching Manhunt over the last 3 evenings.   I'd retired by the time it all happened so have no inside knowledge but thought that it was well done.   It males a change from the pseudo comedy show occurring in another place.

 

Jamie

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It isn’t frosty here.

Aditi is off soon to a French conversation morning. Yesterday the French Circle lecture was about Catherine the Great. The French connection being Voltaire. This mornings topic “what advice would you have given Catherine?”

I don’t have any plans.

Have a good day.

Tony

[AndrewC]

Greetings all from the boring borough. Life ticks over. Christmas dust magnets put away to be replaced by the day to day dust magnets. This means the track around the tree has been dismantled. New book cases assembled and filled. Can someone explain the physics of 1 full medium Billy bookcase replaced by 3 much larger bookcases that are now also full. For the first time in many years all my train related books are in one place. Rediscovered Gordon Gravett's 7mm modelling parts 1 & 2. I see this as a sign. After the upcoming Freemo meet I'll be looking seriously at building a small shunting plank in 0. 

 

Chris, I'd recommend a second hand, refurbished iPhone 6. They can be had fairly cheap and will do the job. For travelling they are great. For example, arriving in Brussels. mile long queues for the ticket office and machines. The midi-zuid departure boards are a nightmare. Time table, platform number, ticket purchase, and ticket all in the palm of your hand. Last time I was half way to Bruges before I'd have managed to get through the ticket queue. Bus & train timetables, metro route maps, etc. All worth having on the phone. 

 

Socks are proof of multiple universes. Somewhere there is an entire universe populated by odd socks. Of course everything must remain in balance. For every sock lost to this universe, we gain a Z list celebrity. Yes there is another universe inhabited by vacuous, plastic, platypus lipped, non-entities. Every z-lister lost there gains something else from another universe, and so on, and so forth. 

 

That's about enough prattling on. Enjoy the day. 

[roundhouse]

Morning all.

 

A good evening was had on dark ales but not that many.

 

Just aswell as I think I have picked up the same cold as my other half so not the best nights sleep but a lot better than she had. Other half is working from home again today.

 

Me staying in the warm as its colder out there today. So no work on the shed bases.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Frosty start here and still chilly.

Sainsbury's visited and beer stock replenished.(  some food was bought as well)

Now sitting waiting for a couple of phone calls regarding home improvements..

Have a good one,

Bob.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Another evening out tonight with a modelling theme, and another lot of subs to pay. Also there will be some items from a deceased members estate for sale so I'd better stock up with some modelling tokens. Chris, if you think that your abode is untidy you should see mine, though on second thoughts perhaps its better that you don't. Muggatee awaits, be back later.

Edited January 10, 2019 by PhilJ W

[BlackRat]

All that Arctic training came in useful after all..........

 

Thought I'd have a spin on the bike to see how to back coped.......very well as it turns out.

 

Mind you riding round in 2 degrees doesn't do much for the tackle, I'm hoping it will put in an appearance once sufficiently warmed up!

 

Now off to finish a couple of kits, and try and hack and splice, cut and shut a couple of TriAng well wagons into something a little more presentable.

 

Like many things.....they were 'lost' in the study but like the prodigal kit, have returned unto me once more, and my cup runneth over with joy.

 

As therapy goes......I'd highly recommend it.

 

Cheers all.

Edited January 10, 2019 by BlackRat

[The Stationmaster]

G'day all,

 

Well the Good Doctor has been duly despatched off to hospital accompanied by Mrs Stationmaster to keep an eye on things and call in laddo transport to get them home this eveningonce they're ready to let her out - I have been barred as 'potentially infectious' as my cold is somewhat behind Mrs Stationmaster's in recovery terms,  I do however trust that recovery will be sufficient to allow me to get to St Evenage on Saturday where I am serving as a relief operator on Grantham, please don't laugh as you pass.  Chrisf need not worry as I'm only on a one day appearance and another reliefman is lined up for Sunday.

 

Like Jamie we too watched 'Manhunt' and found it quite sensitively done and according to  various reports the victims' families were consulted prior to the programme being made and it definitely avoided sensationalising those hideous crimes. (we knew the Dowlers although we lost touch many years ago before their daughters were born).  The interestimng thing, which I assume was correctly reflected in the programmes, was how good and painstaking basic detective work led by a determined Senior Investigating Officer can get results.  And yret again Martin Clunes proved what an excellent actor he is.

 

Enjoy the rest of the day one and all.

[BSW01]

It’s starting to get foggy now and it’s getting quite thick, I can still see the workshop, but I can’t see the school buildings, just the end of the playing fields closest to the garden. Mind you the school building is about 1/4 of a mile behind the workshop!

 

The soup has now been made, there are 8 servings cooling down waiting for some to be frozen. After that I made myself a muggertea, then I had a quick walk to the butchers to collect the steak and ale pies, which I’d ordered yesterday and will form part of tonight’s tea.

 

Time for dinner

[NGT6 1315]

Cheers, troops. Bit of an unnerving shift last night, so certainly looking forward to a day off tomorrow. Nothing to worry really, though.

 

Winter did indeed sweep into these lands for the past few days. However, aside from a few patches in sheltered locations, no snow has remained. I guess you may have heard about the HSB train which got stuck on the Brocken Railway, though!

 

[81C]

I'm not late today I had a quick view at 8am then got ready to go out, Her was still in bed I lost track of time Her finally got up

it was 10:30 at mid-day I gave up waiting and fixed some lunch the next thing I heard the front door close and the car go off

the drive I could be dead in a few hours time not having done anything wrong I will still get the blame I've done my chores 

so there might be a let off there. 

                                                    enjoy your day Juan Unluckiesod.

[Ian Abel]

BIN day - task to move them to the kerb accomplished without issues last evening.

 

Apparently the "move in ready" house we purchased 18 months ago to downsize into, isn't quite so "ready"!

The Mrs has a remodeler coming over today to discuss some "small changes/improvements" she thinks would be fitting, if they are cost effective. Oh well, I'll be keen to see

 

Finally got access to the NY client systems again yesterday afternoon, I think the "IT Crowd" staff are in the genius category compared to this IT department

 

Later I'll be off to choir practice - after the happy hour warm up at the local establishment, OF COURSE!

 

-11 here and sunny this AM, expecting -3 for the high, then a gradual warming trend.

 

Carry on...

[shortliner]

What I thought was amazing in "Manhunt" was the fact that the lassie (women police sergeant) hadn't turned up (and might, indeed, have left) to see if she could "help", there is a possibility(probability?) that he would have gone on to kill others!  Also very obvious was the rivalry and lack of "connectedness" of the various police forces, more interested in their own results and investigations,  than in catching the killer!  I have to say that I thought it was well presented, and acted,  though.

Edited January 10, 2019 by shortliner

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Not sure of going out this evening as my friend who goes with me is having problems with his 16 year old daughter. Last night she didn't even go to bed instead she spent all night playing on her X-box. As a result he removed said X-box and her mobile. Last time this happened and he went out he found that she had caused some damage so he daren't leave her on her own.

[jamie92208]

What I thought was amazing in "Manhunt" was the fact that the lassie (women police sergeant) hadn't turned up (and might, indeed, have left) to see if she could "help", there is a possibility(probability?) that he would have gone on to kill others!  Also very obvious was the rivalry and lack of "connectedness" of the various police forces, more interested in their own results and investigations,  than in catching the killer!  I have to say that I thought it was well presented, and acted,  though.

 

That part was very well done.   There is particular resentment by all county Police forces against The Met, often for very good reasons.  The other big factor is non compatibility of IT systems. There was a Home Office sponsored system called HOLMES (Home Office Large Major Enquiry System) and the stupid fools had allowed 4 different IT companies to develop their own versions of  it and then sell the completed system back to the 43 forces.   Plotting them on a map I think there were only 2 pairs of forces that could actually link their HOLMES systems.  The Met also often didn't use HOLMES which actually came about after the problem with the Yorkshire Ripper.  Many major enquiries did turn on such things as people taking an interest. They also missed things.   Sutcliffe (The Ripper) was suggested at least 4 times by various detectives but these never got actioned.  The good thing is that in the end the Officers who interviewed Sutcliffe was one of those who had put his name forward earlier.    

 

Martin Clunes did play the part very well I thought.

 

Jamie

[TheQ]

Oh Cockwombles, highway Cockwombles, lots of them.

No less than three sets of traffic lights at holes in the ground, with no one working on them and none of them actually on the road.

Added to this the road past the the cremated Swan was closed, peering across the fields, I can see all the scaffolding was down..

 

When I got home the door was locked, so i let myself in to be greeted by Ben, no SWMBO, I shouted in case she was upstairs, no Answer, so me and Ben went down the mobile home, no SWMBO,. Came back to the house.. SWMBO, she had not heard me, but got up anyway. She'd gone to bed because she was cold.

 

Fire given a prod and coaled, Ben is at my feet, I have a Muggacoffee, chips and something is on its way. I know there's chips 'cos Ben has been promised some.

[AndyID]

Yes... This was the winning design, the least worst of the monstrosities which entered the competition.

Note 1, It will be a little further back from the river than shown to allow for boats to moor along the front.

Note 2, See  how it dominates the area, it would be seen for miles behind the building as it's all flat marshes and fen land..

 

image1.jpg

 

image2.jpg

It will make a great shed for a big O gauge layout.

[Ozexpatriate]

On stilts?

Yes... This was the winning design, the least worst of the monstrosities which entered the competition.

Note 1, It will be a little further back from the river than shown to allow for boats to moor along the front.

Note 2, See  how it dominates the area, it would be seen for miles behind the building as it's all flat marshes and fen land..

Quite honestly, I'm surprised the stilts aren't going to be taller. Given the photograph you shared, I'm surprised that building it on a pontoon wasn't seriously considered.

 

I learned something that surprised me today. The variation in proximity to the sun of the earth's orbit is 5Gm (five million km). It may only be a 3% variation in orbital radius, but with Perihelion (the closest approach of the earth to the sun) on January 2, the brutal southern hemisphere summer heat makes sense. It always seems to be hot during the Australian Open tennis tournament (which starts next week) and they had a very nasty heatwave in the 30s S latitudes a week or so ago.

 

I am a bit distraught today. A colleague with whom I have worked for many years and whom I consider a friend was let go - essentially as 'surplus to requirements'. She was not happy with recent changes and this disruption might work out for her in the long run, but I will miss her as a colleague.

 

Much worse, another colleague with whom I regularly interact passed away at an after work event last night involving racing carts. He collapsed after his run and despite the swift arrival of medial help he could not be resuscitated. I opted out of a similar event some months ago. I attended but did not drive, participating as a spectator. Despite sitting, driving these things can get your heart rate up. This gentleman was very capable, industrious and genuine. He will be greatly missed. I am feeling the need to talk to people, but don't want to be spreading gossip.