Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I never had the TB jab nor the smallpox inoculation. I'm pretty sure few if any in my school had a TB jab and I escaped the smallpox because I'd had chicken pox not long before. The jabs I did have at school were for polio which was still a serious illness at the time, as was TB and smallpox. 

[PhilJ W]

12 hours ago, Kingzance said:

Sadly, it is a case of being up to the individual authority I was told. This particular one is like most others and seeks to squeeze your gonads until you scream. If the property is empty due to death of the all residents, then there is a period - usually 6 months - in which the estate does not pay any council tax although, in the present climate, completing a sale within six months is almost impossible. Given the time taken to obtain a grant of administration (probate), find a buyer, the buyer's solicitor to complete all necessary searches and the seller to have available all consents and certificates, six months is certainly not long! 

Have you thought about registering the house as a second home and claiming the 50% off the council tax?

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well I’ve had another fairly productive day, all the shelves have now had 2 coats of varnish applied (1 side only) and further coats will be applied in due course. This will probably be Wednesday, as tomorrow looks like a day of various shopping trips collecting some click and collect packages etc. I also want an early finish so I can get to Salford Quays for my 5 o’clock dip!

 

This afternoon I even managed to get an hour in the workshop, but that was mainly tidying up and organising my spare craft knife blades, putting new blades into small plastic containers ready for use. 

 

Lovely photos Rick.

 

Goodnight all 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[The Stationmaster]

42 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Have you thought about registering the house as a second home and claiming the 50% off the council tax?

In which case you'll be hammered with CGT when it finally does sell, the conditions around CGT on second homes etc have changed and you can get into expensive problems if you claim it as a second home and then try to sell it without first living in it for a stated period of time.    BTW if it is still unsold after 2 years the council can charge double the standard rate of Council Tax on it

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all.

[BR60103]

I've been through ER.  I'm now going to watch election results on TV. (Canadian General Election). Polls closed here 45 minutes ago (at 9:30) but we've had results from the east since 8:00 and the polls farther west will close at 7:00 or 7:30 their time.  I haven't heard anything since 9:00.

 

It used to be that there was an embargo on results until polls closed locally.

 

 

[AndyID]

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

BTW if it is still unsold after 2 years the council can charge double the standard rate of Council Tax on it

 

Zut alors! There are so many vacation homes around here that we get a substantial property tax discount (homeowners exemption) because we actually live here. To some extent that makes up for income tax we pay to Idaho but that's not a big problem because we don't have a lot of income.

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

It is still pitch black outside, and rather autumnal - but that's to be expected given the time of year!

 

Time for a coffee.  Have a good day everyone...

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

Apparently I am a Pride in London partner.  This will be why I received an invitation to a meeting at City Hall in London tonight to discuss this year's Pride and plans for the future of this remarkable event.  I would seriously like to attend but it is not possible.  I wonder who else is a partner?  If the list includes all who marched, that's 30,000 for a start!  Then there are stewards and other helpers.  City Hall is surely not big enough.  Where is the nearest football stadium?  I have a sinking feeling that it is Millwall.  Oh dear.  I shall just have to see what happens next year.  So where will I be tonight instead?  Why, at the AGM of the Bedford branch of the Locomotive Club of Great Britain.  The formal bit will not take long.  We will all vote dutifully to accept last year's minutes and this year's accounts and leave at least one of the vacancies on the committee unfilled because we always do.   After tea we will enjoy some stand-up comedy from Bill Davies, the Branch Chairman, whose tales of real life on the railway can be hilarious.  Where would I rather be?  Hmmmm ....

 

The search for the missing frets continues with less and less enthusiasm.  They must be somewhere and I will feel such a fool when either they turn up or I replace them.  It is no good telling me that I should be tidier.  I know that already!  Perhaps one more day will be spent turning the place upside down before I suspend the search and do something useful instead.  Poorly Pal would like chicken for lunch on Thursday so I need to go shopping again tomorrow.  Wok and roll!

 

My thanks to Debs and all who respond.   Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Decent nights sleep at last.

 

Each council applies Council Tax in different ways. When I came back from Barrow to Leeds the house in Barrow was empty. I paid no council tax fot 6 months then someone rented it. When we put it up for sale we had to pay full tax. It took Barrow Borough Council 3 months to pay the money back that they owed us. We had to send a solicitors letter in the end to stop their threats of legal action due to non payment of tax.. "Oh it takes us two months to process your paperwork and the legal action letters go out automatically " humph!

 

This morning I am visiting the eye doctor. He will poke my eyes with a needle to ascertain the pressures in them. He has managed to get these wrong twice in 8 weeks so fingers crossed for today.

 

Rick, I can't suggest anything to help your good lady at all. Just keep up the love and support. 

 

John, well done! Most people are very helpful while you sort everything out but watch out for Banks and Building Societies who, as we know from experience , can lose paperwork as easy as pie. Fingers crossed you don't have any problems.

 

My deceased very poorly mate's wife is having big problems getting probate finalised due to USA based shares and a house in Florida. More money for solicitors. Pah!

 

Have a great day..remember those three little letters JDI or Just Do It...other versions with an added f can also be applied.

Baz

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare,

Not too bad a nights sleep of just over 6 hours, though there were a lot of wake up and turn overs..

 

Ben The I'm desperate to go out Collie, Did this morning, but stayed within the light pool from the house.

 

This weeks major system calibrations went well yesterday, except I kept having to fight off it resetting, this system has been off line during the Lab build /rebuild, and has a lot of updates to catch up on. I'll reset it again when I go in this morning, and then start where I left off the computer programme yesterday. This means more work for me stitching together, different sets of results, and of course slows down the whole calibration.

 

I see they are going on about having green number plates for electric cars, since number plate checking is done by ANPR technology, it doesn't care what colour the plates are, so that's just a publicity stunt..

We won't be seeing our car till at least Thursday, So I've rescheduled my visit to my sailing compatriot to tomorrow.

 

Our only owned house move, we sold the house 1 week after we moved out, and completion was in just over a month, it really wasn't worth fighting councils for rebates of money.. Living in the new houses of Milton Keynes all the searches and ancient clauses have long since been sorted out. So if you've got an efficient solicitor it should be done quickly. We used a conveyancer they really know their job and are even better for house transfers.

 

Time to wander down to the lab and click reset.

[BlackRat]

Chris.....buy a labeller, and if you don't have any buy some Chinese takeaway plastic containers.

 

Every new project gets one, labelled up and ALL bits, frets, spruces and transfers go in.

 

Mind you, I STILL  manage to misplace stuff......it's not lost as it's in the study SOMEWHERE!

 

They are useful for storing everything else, properly labelled of course....wire, transfers, Lego blocks, heat shrink, plastic offxuts, scalpel blades, tree leaves etc etc etc.

[Stubby47]

I use lots for similar things, but also bags of static grass/flock powders, MERG circuit board kits.

 

Packs of 5 from Poundland.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

There is a glimmer of brightness in the Eastern sky and a dry day with spells of sunshine and a light sou'westerly breeze is promised.

Needles or the sight of blood have never bothered me - just as well really. Biggest regret is not being a blood donor and since having had a transfusion in 1996 not allowed to give some back.

No Shed visits yesterday and there won't be today either, too many other things to do. However I have now placed some forward orders for a Wainwright SECR D class and some "generic" coaches. (SECR and GNR)  Hopefully by the time they come I'll have some track to run them on. Possibly.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited October 22, 2019 by grandadbob

[Stubby47]

In other news last evening's purchase and installation of the new washing machine was eventually successful. 

The simple 'undo the transit bolts and gentle wiggle them to remove' was achieved with mole grips and a choice of blue language.

The old machine is stood in the drive awaiting emptying of water and the transition to the recycling centre.

[Stubby47]

In other, other news, this month sees the completion of 10 years of service with the current employers.

The only previous recipient of this milestone received a bottle of Scottish falling down water. I have suggested to our Finance & Payroll Officer (aka No. 1 Daughter) that vouchers for a certain, local modelling emporium would be much preferred.  We shall see...

[Kingzance]

Regarding owning two properties, it is not something we had planned to do but it occurred due in part to the unsatisfactory process of buying and selling property in England. We certainly didn’t wish (nor could we afford) to have a holiday home or to become landlords letting out property. At our age, efficient tax planning to provide for our families is more important than personal gain. Anyway, the nightmare is ended, we have awoken to a new week and we can breath again. The old adage of “same sh!t, different day” becomes “different sh!t, similar day”.

 

And now the diary for my little part of NEHerts. Taxiing SWMBO to her palace of pedicure (yes, the same one that helped with the birthday subterfuge a few weeks back) will be followed by a non-fasting session with a daughter of Dracula for me. I then visit Ian the Fish, take grandsons to their golf lesson and finally play cribbage this evening. Although very unlikely, it is just possible the magnetic clamps I ordered yesterday will arrive today as the supplier has told me they have been despatched - once again, thanks for your assistance there. I am wondering whether to offer my services on cremation barbecue duty for the upcoming village fireworks. I did it last year, no one got food poisoning but I haven’t been specifically asked to perform again. A new PTA committee may be sweeping clean so we shall see but their timetable is not one that I think could work as they are leaving the firefighting until much too late.

 

Speedy recovery wishes where necessary and have a stressless day if you can. 

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

i think I may be sent to the shops  to buy more food today. 
Tony

[TheSignalEngineer]

1 hour ago, BlackRat said:

 

Every new project gets one, labelled up and ALL bits, frets, spruces and transfers go in.

When I dismantle something or start a kit build I do the same. Fridge boxes where the lid has broken, Flora boxes, ice cream boxes all get used.

Tools and paints live in trays in a set of shallow drawers on castors from Ikea which lives under the layout and can be pulled out if necessary. 

[Smiffy2]

Morning everybody.

Foggy and damp in la France profonde. Autumn has arrived. 

 

 

Just off to a friend's, she has discovered several boxes of old photographic equipment in her barn. I wouldn't say I'm trembling with excitement but there might be something I want, and I've been offered first refusal.

 

Apart from that, shopping and then starting to winterise the house and pack for home. Wondering when, and if, we'll be back, and under what terms.

 

Best wishes to all.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

A dull start to the northwest of England, but at least its dry. Not a lot of DIY planned for the today. My first task will be to drop Sheila off for her hand therapy and manicure, I will then carry on into the town centre and complete the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix. Once that’s completed I will return home and put everything away and make myself a second muggertea whilst I await Sheila’s return. Then WE will go and collect a couple of click and collect packages from the Trafford Centre.

 

Whenever I buy bits for kits etc, these go in the kit box, if I buy anything else, I generally write on the packet what’s inside and then store them in larger (labelled with type of contents) boxes etc. 

 

Back later

[AndrewC]

Good moaning all. There is no gravity, the universe sucks. One of those days where I wish I could have stayed in bed. 

 

screw the coffee, pass the absinthe. 

[polybear]

21 hours ago, The Lurker said:

 I didn't fall for the no need to tidy up, and had not only carried out the aforesaid tasks but had cooked lunch for Sunday too. So I felt very virtuous …. !

 

 

Rule 1:  Never, ever complete the tasks.  They like to feel indispensable.

Rule 2:  Screw up the tasks assigned to you.  That way they know you can't be trusted and never ask again.

Rule 3:  Try your best to remember the benefits of Rules 1 & 2 when you head is being ripped off....

[Tony_S]

Aditi often asks her sister about our nephew Josh. The usual answer is “I don’t ask”. Aditi now just asks him herself. So this morning we have had lots of photos from his hike in the Himalayan foothills . He is currently in a taxi (8 hour drive) to Dharamsala. He did a placement there when studying to be a doctor.

Tony