Early Risers.

[jamie92208]

7 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

We’ve got some Eccles cakes here going off. Someone bought them for us and SWMBO doesn’t like them and I can’t eat them. Waiting for a visitor to come and finish them off but that seems unlikely due to virus. They are one of my favourites and they look forlornly at me every  time I go into the cupboard,  ‘eat me, eat me’ but I resist.. No mint jelly though.

Now that is a real shame Robert.  I will have to task PB and HH with a seek and acquire mission.  On our trips across when we head back to Pompey  for the ferry a good stop is Moreasons at Waterlooville on the A3 for the cafe and stocks of their large Eccles Cakes for me.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good moaning to all, and of course sundry.  Breakfast is being consumed and the fire is rejuvenated.  I even managed a bit of shed time yesterday and used a soldering iron.  Wonders never cease.  

 

Today I have to visit the fair and lissome Veronique for her to trim my locks that are getting longer and wavy. Then onwards for the shopping.  This afternoon I plan to visit the Mairie to get a bonfire permit so that we can dispose of a large mound of garden rubbish.  Not a lot else in daily orders yet, however as always they are subject to change at short notice.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[Barry O]

Chuckinitdarn!

 

Not a lot else to say as my mugatea awairs.

 

Stay safe!

Baz

[TheQ]

Mooring awl, Inner Temple Hare,

2.5 hours sleep rain hammering on windows, 3 hours sleep, rain hammering on windows, 1/2 hour sleep, rain still hammering on windows..

 

Ben the sensible Collie said there's no chance of me going out in that!! which handily meant, I didn't get too wet before getting the car onto the road..

 

The new water leak on the way in, now has traffic lights,, but one set is immediately after a blind corner, I predict an accident.. The road the Norwich side of it is well and truly flooded...

 

 Mint sauce, we always have a couple of jars in the fridge, home made, two jars, so that one gets time to infuse and age properly.

SWMBO has recently taken to drinking mint tea as well, quite what variety of mint I'm not sure, as along with the normal mint for the sauce, there are chocolate, pineapple, and a couple of others in big pots out there..

 

Sat in the jam for the roadworks at effin clown town / Wroxham bridge, I counted the cars (excluding trade vehicles) that had local  verses other plates, 3/4 had A Anglian plates, the rest mostly had L London, which wasn't unexpected, but the others M.. Manchester and N Newcastle were surprisingly common..

 

Now re running part of the overnight Automatic run as it seems to have tripped out at 500V but passed at 1000V, which is a bit odd as they are produced on the same range of the calibrator..

 

Time to ... wait for this bit to get to 500V so I can see what's going on..

[polybear]

9 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

And of course ECCLES CAKES and mint jelly.

 

Jamie

 

Eccles Cakes and Mint Jelly?  That's a bit off the wall, even for this Bear.  Strawberry Jam maybe, but Mint Sauce??

 

8 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

We’ve got some Eccles cakes here going off. Someone bought them for us and SWMBO doesn’t like them and I can’t eat them. Waiting for a visitor to come and finish them off but that seems unlikely due to virus.

 

All those cakes, but so far away....

 

Bear predicts a bit of a woolly sort of day today; a call to the Plasterer last night was unsuccessful in arranging a start day - all I got was "it was not possible to connect your call - please try later".  Hopefully the text got thru'.

So a bit of dusting is called for - not exactly sure why, as there's little danger of visitors

I'm also starting to feel an urge to get shot of stuff that I have little danger of needing ever again - from stuff in the loft to stuff in the shed.  We'll see.

[jamie92208]

8 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Eccles Cakes and Mint Jelly?  That's a bit off the wall, even for this Bear.  Strawberry Jam maybe, but Mint Sauce??

 

 

All those cakes, but so far away....

 

Not even I have thought of having the two together. Mint jelly does go rather nicely with cold roast beef as well as hot roast lamb.  As to toppi gs for eccles cakes, i've never tried jam but I used to put butter on Chorley cakes, something else that can't be sourced locally.  

 

Jamie

[Mike Bellamy]

22 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

So a bit of dusting is called for - not exactly sure why, as there's little danger of visitors

 

 

When we were having work done at home, there was dust everywhere but the wife just left it untouched until all the work was completed - she described it as a protective layer over the furniture - so I use the same idea with the garage - all the crap at the front is protecting even more crap at the back . . . !

.

[Sir TophamHatt]

Morning...  what a frustrating one!

Seems some people in the office today are all "knowledge is power", which may make me personally look incompetent but at the end of the day, I'm only as good as the information I'm given and it doesn't make me look stupid, but our whole department...  and it's a pretty key department - if we don't work, the trains don't run.

Tomorrow ill be another day I guess.

 

 

However, I have also figured out I could make some board game pieces I have been printing much better than I originally thought by using the huge box of scenery and flock.

Don't know why I didn't think of this before!

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. The sore foot has been banging its drum for most of the night and now Arthur Itis has joined in the chorus to welcome Storm Christoff. Nurofen has been deployed and shortly I will run a bath. A bit of good news the number of corvid cases locally has dropped by 46% but still a long way to go so not dropping my guard just yet. 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

It was very wet and windy for most of the night but the rain seems to have stopped.  It's a lot warmer and is currently 11°C.

First thing that is scheduled today, providing it doesn't start raining again, is a walk.  Still aching after yesterday but I shall persevere.

The Shed did get visited yesterday but all I did was play with the little wheeled thingies in there.  Still, that was the original purpose of the building but I really do need to extract various digits and do all the painting, ballasting and start on the scenic stuff.  When we (eventually) come out of lockdown family and friends tell me they are expecting to see a lot of progress and so far there isn't any.

Have a good one,
Bob.

Edited January 19, 2021 by grandadbob

[Dunsignalling]

Up at six to run the heating "up to eleven" so the house remains reasonably warm while the gas is off. We are being switched over to the new main today. Contractors were about earlier than usual so I didn't risk a shower in case it went off while I was under!

 

Supply was turned off at 0830 - hopefully we'll be back on by teatime. The contractors knock off by about 1630 as the light fades. I have an electric oven and gas hob but can always microwave some frozen veg in case of delay.  

 

TBH, at the moment, any out-of-the-ordinary occurrence provides a welcome distraction....

 

John  

 

 

Edited January 19, 2021 by Dunsignalling

[skipepsi]

6 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

Good morning all,

It was very wet and windy for most of the night but the rain seems to have stopped.  It's a lot warmer and is currently 11°C.

First thing that is scheduled today, providing it doesn't start raining again, is a walk.  Still aching after yesterday but I shall persevere.

The Shed did get visited yesterday but all I did was play with the little wheeled thingies in there.  Still, that was the original purpose of the building but I really do need to extract various digits and do all the painting, ballasting and start on the scenic stuff.  When we (eventually) come out of lockdown family and friends tell me they are expecting to see a lot of progress and so far there isn't any.

Have a good one,
Bob.

Testing what you have built and making sure it works for you is much more important than other peoples expectations. Ripping up a fully ballasted layout because it does not give pleasure to operate is a waste of time and money. It seems from recent reports that time in the shed is enjoyable so keep on doing it! 

[Tony_S]

Hello.

It isn’t raining but it has been. I think the plan to cut the lawns today will not happen. 
Otherwise not a lot happening. 
Tony

[jonny777]

20 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I do hope thst you weren't in flagrante delicto with the bride.

 

Jamie

 

SWMBO was telling me the other day, while watching Sky Landscape Artist Of The Year, that I sketched a brilliant version of the view from her bedsit window one day while she was at work and I had nothing better to do. This would have been 1974 or thereabouts, and I have always considered myself to be rubbish at art, and never even contemplate drawing anything. Apparently, she thought it so good that she was too timid to try sketching herself, believing she was in the presence of a future Gainsborough. I have no recollection of this, or the resulting artwork, or what happened to it. I wondered if she had me mixed up with someone else? 

 

Dull, wet and windy in North Somerset, and I had a rather sleepless night. I put this down to spending too much time with laptops yesterday. The correct 9pin to 9pin firewire cable finally turned up, and to my delight the old laptop started in target disk mode using the wifi keyboard. It took all day to transfer 500Gb of data to an external HDD, but I then reformatted to old laptop hard-drive, and that is where the problems started. 

 

Once reformatted, the drive was blank and so could not be used in target disk mode. I had a boot copy of old an Apple OS on a memory stick, but the laptop would not recognise it. I tried every keyboard startup combination possible, but still no joy. The network startup would get as far as choosing my wifi network but then refused to recognise the password. Finally, after about 2 hours of pulling my hair out, I thought I might have an old copy of OS Sierra in a file somewhere on an external drive, so I plugged that in - and hey presto it fired up. Not only that, but once installed the wifi mouse suddenly was recognised as a left click one - joy of joys. After a 15 minute or so wait, the Apple upgrade system cranked into action and invited me to install Catalina. 

 

All very celebratory, but cost me a decent night's sleep. 

 

I now have two laptops running Catalina (as I don't think Big Sur will run on these oldies), but the old one has a wifi mouse and keyboard. However, I'm not sure how to get the best out of them both.  

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, it persisteth down.  With knobs on.

 

A marginally better night, assisted by opioids, the legal type.  Result a bit woozy this morning, but coming around now.  Unfortunately no dreams of Dr Eleanor resulted.  bah.

 

Flood warnings going out here now, not surprised.  Also a neighbour arrested for one murder and one attempted murder.  Crikey, in quiet old Andreas.

 

More coffee needed.

 

Oh, reports say a yacht (Q's?) stuck in ice has a supply of cake on board......

 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

The overnight rain must have gone on for quite sometime, it was still raining at 7 o’clock but has stopped sometime between then and now. There is a large puddle in the back garden, I’ve not seen one that big for quite some time! My back is steadily improving, so another day of rest is on the cards, although it has been suggested that I take the whole week of just to be safe, I might just take that advice. 

 

This morning I'm going to attempt to do a bit of work on the computer downstairs in the office, drawing up the lettering decals for the turntable control panel etc. This afternoon I may well take Sheila’s advice and watch a couple of documentaries I’ve got recorded.

 

Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later. 

 

Brian

[Barry O]

Still chuckinitdarn  here... yotkshire Water.. yes we have gallons of it but no visit from them as yet..

 

Baz

[tigerburnie]

Morning all, another fierce frost, with everything looking like a Christmas card(am I a bit early in the year for mentioning that word?), no sign of a storm and the forecasters still insist we will get some sleet and snaw.

For those who suffer back pain, this may work...............

A scan shows I have no discs left in my lower spine and I am running bone on bone as it were, an old rugby pal who was/is a GP told me this and it helps avoid having to take too many pills. Stand with your back hard against a wall, raise your left arm up pointing to the ceiling, do the same with your right, but then bend the elbow so you can lay your forearm on your head. Grasp the left arm and make like you are pulling the left arm up stretching your spine, do it slowly and hold it there for 30 seconds and then repeat using the opposite arms and repeat the process half a dozen times, I'm not a huge fan of physio, but this works for me, I use any of the many creams and as we discussed before I have a back support belt too. I only take pain killers if I am out for the day, either fishing or hill walking, usually co-codomol and I don't want to get addicted to those things.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning al.

 

Chrisf - DO NOT DUMP COMICS without checking what you have got.  Some comics can go for many modelling tokens and are. a nice little earner should you have the right ones in good condition.

 

The weather outside is cloudy, in fact it's right mixture of occasional blue patches to slightly north of east through just about everything to some very dark cloud fronts moving across to the south of us.  No rain at present and good visibility.  And yes GDB  - get out there and test that trach thoroughly before ballasting it - should take several months I'm sure.

 

It's an odd thing about the railway but over the years it was interesting to see just how many jobs were essential to keep the trains running.  But of course in many respects it was absolutely true although you could look at bits of the railway where most of those jobs had no involvement whatsoever and trains still ran.  And if you look at the way some US short lines do it they even do without most other jobs as well although not having PerWay gangs does bring its problems but some lines in Britain seem to manage fair;y well with minimal attention from such folk.  To run a big network however needs a wide range of inputs and skills and while ir would still work for a while without most of them it might only be a short while and the train service could quickly turn out to be not what was advertised.   A good many years ago one of my Drivers always used to mention a large office block in Reading which was in darkness when he drove a train past at night - and his train was still running

 

Big (??) rtask today will be the changeover of the filter on the kitchen drinking water tap with the added novelty of finding out where the plumber put the isolation valve for it when he rearranged our plumbing after the big leak and put ina new (different) water softener.    At least the new water softener isn't as much in the way as the old one was.

 

Have a good day one and all and stay safe

[TheQ]

I don't think my boat will go far enough north to meet free range bears, as it is I might have to add to the sign writing on the back of the boat..

" There is no cake left on board this boat overnight (or day).

 

In other news the current major unit was refusing to pass on ACV HV.. Then eventually I found it had defaulted to  a very ancient type of additional boost amplifier, why I don't know it hasn't got one and only one system has..

 

and back to boats, I've spent many , many hours working on a solution to converting the old boat trailer to it's required New format. Boat shorter buy 2 ft 4 inches but raised up by 2ft 6inches, All to no avail ... until an Idea popped into my head.

Simples really.. Cut off the old beam axle and weld on a new one further forward.. Cost of premade new beam axle,  £78 delivered..

 

 The distance won't be 2ft 4 inches forward as the landrover now has a door mounted spare wheel,  so it will be 2ft 4inches minus wheel width and a bit for safety.. Either way it will make the trailer smaller, shorter, lighter, and better balanced..

Edited January 19, 2021 by TheQ

[45156]

20 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

Apologies if any readers have the misfortune to have worked for them.

Twenty plus years in Customer Service, Delayed Provision, Customer Complaints, Customer Resolutions, then back on the phones, then got sacked for allegedly mishandling calls, which was to be honest the most trumped up charge, but the Union were not really on my side.

[polybear]

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Not even I have thought of having the two together. Mint jelly does go rather nicely with cold roast beef as well as hot roast lamb.  As to toppi gs for eccles cakes, i've never tried jam but I used to put butter on Chorley cakes, something else that can't be sourced locally.  

 

Jamie

 

Bear buys Mint Sauce by the half-litre from a cheapo shop (about a quid a throw); no doubt it's absolutely brim full of E numbers but it tastes good...

(apologies for the cr@p photo)

 

3 hours ago, Sir TophamHatt said:

Morning...  what a frustrating one!

Seems some people in the office today are all "knowledge is power", which may make me personally look incompetent but at the end of the day, I'm only as good as the information I'm given and it doesn't make me look stupid, but our whole department...  and it's a pretty key department

 

 

The best bit of advice Bear ever got at work was as an apprentice many moons ago; I was helping "Les" the labourer/machine shop cleaner to fetch some boxes.  Off goes Bear all keen, only to be called back by Les (who was numerous bricks short of a load - and you had to keep well upwind of him; an OK guy though IIRC).  Les said to me (in a deep west country accent):

"Don't you 'urry boy, they don't pay you any more for 'urryin".  Obviously not as daft as many thought

 

2 hours ago, jonny777 said:

Once reformatted, the drive was blank and so could not be used in target disk mode. I had a boot copy of old an Apple OS on a memory stick, but the laptop would not recognise it. I tried every keyboard startup combination possible, but still no joy. The network startup would get as far as choosing my wifi network but then refused to recognise the password. Finally, after about 2 hours of pulling my hair out, I thought I might have an old copy of OS Sierra in a file somewhere on an external drive, so I plugged that in - and hey presto it fired up. Not only that, but once installed the wifi mouse suddenly was recognised as a left click one - joy of joys. After a 15 minute or so wait, the Apple upgrade system cranked into action and invited me to install Catalina.

 

Bear's come over all light-headed after reading that.....

off for a lie-down me thinks.

 

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

Oh, reports say a yacht (Q's?) stuck in ice has a supply of cake on board......

 

 

That's Cousin Bert.  Don't worry, he hasn't a clue.

 

In other news:

Bear has found a Bosch 110v leccy drill & transformer in the shed, as well as a part-used 25L tin of Bitumen Roof Sealant.  I hope to get a few modelling tokens, as well as a bit of space in the shed.  The clearout commences....

Dusting done - which actually doesn't take long as most stuff is either covered or stored out of the way whilst kitchen work continues; the plasterer called to say he'll drop some stuff off tomorrow and start work Thurs or Friday this week

I also rescued an unused bag of drywall adhesive from the shed that I purchased back in sept(?) - it's now in the car boot and I hope to get a refund from one of the sheds - with luck they won't look at the date on the receipt as they might get sniffy about it.  I'd rather get shot as I've no need for it, and I don't want it to end up in landfill as that would be criminal.  If all else fails I'll sling it on freecycle (now called freegle) as a collect only freebie. 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I agree with Stationmaster, do not dump comics. I am looking for a particular copy of Railway Bylines, Vol 9 issue 5 April 2004. I lost my original copy when I loaned it out and it was not returned. I need it because I am building a model of one of the loco's featured, The Fords 1932 BTH diesel electric Bo-Bo shunter. Better go now before the awls start arriving, be back later.

[AndyB]

Afternoon all.

So the weather is a bit damp and overcast .....but for anyone interested...sunset hereabouts is 33 mins later than it was about a month ago.

In a few weeks time we'll be well on our way to long summer evenings.

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from the fold in the side of the hill - where it is currently dry. I guess it rained overnight but I didn't see any.

 

I was quite surprised to learn in my late 30s that mint sauce came in jars. I thought it came fresh from the garden with some malt vinegar; at least that is how i had it as a child. 

 

Memories are funny things - i have one fleeting memory of the road at the end of ours being blocked off because work had not finished - but i have a much stronger memory of my Dad being surprised when I mentioned the road being blocked off because as he told me I would still have been in a pushchair when the work was finished.

 

I can remember being ushered away when my sister was born in the house - I would have been 2 3/4 and i have lots of pre-school memories, first day of school etc. But I think moving to Singapore when I was 6 helped partition my memories and keep the early ones quite distinct. My sister, on the other hand, remembers nothing of the 14 months or so of our lives out there, and so does not remember her first day of school etc.