Early Risers.

[Tony_S]

15 minutes ago, jonny777 said:

 

In my experience, it is the combination of a slight breeze and temperatures below freezing which tender plants cannot cope with. Presumably that causes the plant cells to freeze rapidly thus destroying their structure?

Our hanging basket looks a bit sad this morning so I have been tasked with rehydrating it. That usually helps it after a breezy cold night. 

[southern42]

' morning all from red dragon land.

 

Woke up and it was still dark and darker still at 8 o'clock...snowing! No wonder!

Melting and snowing...rain later...

 

The Cakebox Challenge is taking up an awful lot of my time and I am enjoying every minute of it!  Except when things do not turn out quite right and frustration and/or panic sets in...you know the story...  

Thankfully these problems soon got sorted and I am more than pleased with how it is going.

 

Off to the sitting room, now - Ray has a virtual committee meeting, soon, in the dining room - r**lw*y related, naturally! 

 

Fitt  and  Elfie muddling on...

 

Take care all and play safe. 

_________

Best wishes

Polly

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It is sunny but chilly here. Aditi is off to Canvey for a medical appointment this morning. Scheduled for 11:18, which seems very precise. 
I hope Dave gets good news about his Dad today.

Tony
 

[tigerburnie]

Morning, still an Arctic wind howling out there, no danger of much happening today.

I have started reducing my book collection and I've stopped buying railway stuff, even contemplating selling some of the forest of fishing rods, not because I'm preparing for the grim reaper, but because I want to buy some more expensive photographic gear instead.

[Coombe Barton]

3 hours ago, TheQ said:

I plead guilty to several of the white ones and several of the coloured ones..

 

OK OK most of them..

Common offence round these parts.

[Barry O]

Walked up to the Post Office.. uphill into the freezing wind...I knew I should have put a ganzy on rather than just me T Shirt 

 

Much warmer walking back with the wind on my back.

 

Mugadecaff being used to thaw out a bit.

 

 

Baz

[Coombe Barton]

Classification and arrangement of books:

Instead of saying that I have to get organised with the books and setting myself an unrealistic target, I'm just going to leave them as they are for a moment.

I'll call it the Colby Confusion.

[PhilJ W]

There was frost on the roof of the car this morning it was that cold and its not that warmer now. I try to keep my books in subject order with a shelf for oversize books and those with odd shapes. Some of them are quite valuable but to look at them  they don't appear so. In fact one of my most valuable books is a rather grubby old paperback. I certainly don't want some of my books to end up in landfill. Fortunately SEERS can handle the disposal of my railway items both model and literature, they have a legacy scheme similar to that mentioned above.

[Dave Hunt]

Had a call from a consultant anaesthetist this morning about Dad. He has broken his femur and needs a fairly serious operation involving a meccano set but the alternative of traction and time isn't a viable option because of his age and his having weak kidneys. Of course, at his age such a procedure is fraught with risk but there is really no option. The chap was really helpful, informative and sympathetic and has promised to call again when the operation is finished, probably late afternoon or this evening. For now it is just hoping and praying time.

 

Thanks to ERs for the messages of sympathy and support; they really help. What a great community this is.

 

Dave

[PhilJ W]

4 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

Had a call from a consultant anaesthetist this morning about Dad. He has broken his femur and needs a fairly serious operation involving a meccano set but the alternative of traction and time isn't a viable option because of his age and his having weak kidneys. Of course, at his age such a procedure is fraught with risk but there is really no option. The chap was really helpful, informative and sympathetic and has promised to call again when the operation is finished, probably late afternoon or this evening. For now it is just hoping and praying time.

 

Thanks to ERs for the messages of sympathy and support; they really help. What a great community this is.

 

Dave

Not as bad as a fractured pelvis but better if it had never happened. Due to the risk they will probably do the op under local anaesthetic which means he won't be out for a long time and you might be able to talk to him soon after the op. 

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Had a call from a consultant anaesthetist this morning about Dad. He has broken his femur and needs a fairly serious operation involving a meccano set but the alternative of traction and time isn't a viable option because of his age and his having weak kidneys. Of course, at his age such a procedure is fraught with risk but there is really no option. The chap was really helpful, informative and sympathetic and has promised to call again when the operation is finished, probably late afternoon or this evening. For now it is just hoping and praying time.

 

Thanks to ERs for the messages of sympathy and support; they really help. What a great community this is.

 

Dave

Hope everything  goes well Dave. I know in similar circumstances I found that I couldn't do anything that required concentration, until I'd had the phone call to say things were OK. Cake and some gentle reading is my prescription. I generally used to go trainspotting and took a flask and book with me.

 

Jamie

 

 

Edited April 6, 2021 by jamie92208

[laurenceb]

Fingers crossed for Mr Hunt Snr and thoughs with Neils friend

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Just had a worrying phone call from our vet that Lily's lump has been diagnosed as a tumor - though luckily it is non malignant - but unpleasant nonetheless.  She is booked in for surgery tomorrow morning, and the claim for the vet's bill has already been submitted.

 

In other news, a mug that 30747 bought for 50p in a charity shop a couple of years ago has just sold on eBay for £56.

 

And in other other news, we've just had a flurry of snow here.  And  ow we're having more.

 

And in other, other, other news, we've run out of logs, coal, kindling, fire lighters, and it's turning cold again for a few nights.

 

And in other, other other other news it's cider o'clock now - Lidl Woodgate at £1.15 for 500ml, which is actually Westons 7.3% variant

 

And in other other other other other news, tomorrow is going to be very hectic indeed, with Lily at the vet's first thing, then a fodder run on the way home, then a quick change into my only suit as one of our neigbours who loved Lily has passed away, and one of her wishes was that we attend her send off - and she also had some photos of Lily which she asked be put into her coffin - very touching, and more so given that Lil will be being operated on at the same time as her funeral is taking place.

 

Generic greetings are also on offer to all fellow ERs with a confession that with the worry about Lily over Easter and Ebay still taking priority, much skipping has been taking place.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

Edited April 6, 2021 by 45156

[polybear]

5 hours ago, grandadbob said:

..... but apart from me starting to sell off stuff now I can't see any other answer.  Trouble is I'm still ordering and buying stuff,  maybe I should stop doing that?......especially as I'm not even doing anything with it all at the moment....it's just sitting there all lonely in The Shed!
 

 

If you get pleasure from buying and owning m**** r****** stuff then why stop?  Tis' the slippery slope to giving up, that is....

 

5 hours ago, AndrewC said:

On that note, when my dad's sister died, her will was simple. It all went to her 2 nephews. Unfortunately her so called friend who was named executor was also a legal assistant and had been more or less harvesting probate clients from the seniors lodge where my Aunt lived. By the time she had finished 2 years later, there was b*gger all left. It had all vanished in fees. This included the $2800 in cash that had been stashed around her apartment.

 

 

Bear could get very bitter and twisted in such a situation.  Perhaps asking the Law Society etc to look into it may have proved useful?

 

When my cousin was declared  bankrupt (over an unpaid hundred quid water bill IIRC; my cousin had some mental health issues at the time also, which contributed to the situation) solicitors etc. were appointed to manage the situation, including the sale of his flat.  My Aunt nigh on killed herself emptying the place and deep cleaning it - when both the leccy and water were disconnected - all in a 3rd floor flat with no lift.  How much did my cousin get once the solicitors had helped themselves? Diddly squat, zilch, F.A.  If my Aunt had known she would have just rescued important personal possessions and walked away from the place - leaving some other mug to deal with the sh*t (and boy, there was plenty of that - you had a job to squeeze in thru' the front door and then you were walking on maybe 10 or 12" of paperwork covering the whole place....).

 

In other news:

Bear spent the morning painting a couple of areas of kitchen wall - so far, so good.  2nd coat commences at 1430 Hours....

[tigerburnie]

We braved the weather to go to the small farm up the road for some free range eggs, there's a help yourself shelter complete with sanitiser station, put your dosh in the tin honesty box, now I only had a £20 note so ended up with a heap of pound coins and shrapnel in my change. SWMBO ordered the tipping up of some of my dosh in case she might need it. " I would" I replied,

" but the dosh is in quarantine in case it has covid on it".....................................I think I might actually be getting away with it lol.

[Andrew P]

52 minutes ago, 45156 said:

Afternoon All

 

Just had a worrying phone call from our vet that Lily's lump has been diagnosed as a tumor - though luckily it is non malignant - but unpleasant nonetheless.  She is booked in for surgery tomorrow morning, and the claim for the vet's bill has already been submitted.

 

In other news, a mug that 30747 bought for 50p in a charity shop a couple of years ago has just sold on eBay for £56.

 

And in other other news, we've just had a flurry of snow here.  And  ow we're having more.

 

And in other, other, other news, we've run out of logs, coal, kindling, fire lighters, and it's turning cold again for a few nights.

 

And in other, other other other news it's cider o'clock now - Lidl Woodgate at £1.15 for 500ml, which is actually Westons 7.3% variant

 

And in other other other other other news, tomorrow is going to be very hectic indeed, with Lily at the vet's first thing, then a fodder run on the way home, then a quick change into my only suit as one of our neigbours who loved Lily has passed away, and one of her wishes was that we attend her send off - and she also had some photos of Lily which she asked be put into her coffin - very touching, and more so given that Lil will be being operated on at the same time as her funeral is taking place.

 

Generic greetings are also on offer to all fellow ERs with a confession that with the worry about Lily over Easter and Ebay still taking priority, much skipping has been taking place.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

I hope the Mug was on the Sell for a £1 weekend, although there wasn't one over Easter.

[45156]

7 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

I hope the Mug was on the Sell for a £1 weekend, although there wasn't one over Easter.

Regrettably not - I never seem to be able to sell any high value items when that offer is on.

 

[Andrew P]

6 minutes ago, 45156 said:

Regrettably not - I never seem to be able to sell any high value items when that offer is on.

 

I've sold two Layouts, one almost £3K and the other in O Gauge including some Dapol Jinty Locos for just over £5k, Cost me £2 plus Pay Pal charges. Plus three other cheaper OO Layouts over the last couple of years.

[New Haven Neil]

Law Society? Complete waste of time, Mrs NHN had an issue years ago when she was Ms A,  with a will much like stuff that has been discussed above, and the end result was a couple of grand - should have been enough to buy half the street.  Reported to LS, result - nada.  Nowt. No case to answer.

[AndrewC]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

Bear could get very bitter and twisted in such a situation.  Perhaps asking the Law Society etc to look into it may have proved useful?

 

Sadly, all above board and legal. However, the lodge management had more than one complaint about the parasite and she was barred from the place shortly afterwards. Today we still wonder how much cash was really in her apartment beyond the amount officially declared on the probate statement. 

[jonny777]

Best wishes for Dave H's Dad. I know they don't like giving general anaesthetic to older people, as my Dad had a local one for his last major op. 

 

On the subject of solicitors, I have had two problems recently. One when M-i-l passed away and I was executor, I had to go to her local solicitors who were storing the house deeds. They were all sweetness and light when I arrived, but before they went to find the deeds they asked if I would be inviting them to do the financial sorting of the will. When I replied in the negative, as I intended to do it all myself, there was a stoney silence which persisted until I left with the deeds. Very poor PR I thought. 

 

The second was when SWMBO was keen on making a will. She had approached a local solicitors who told her that it was a legal requirement to have solicitors (i.e. them) as one of the executors; which is nonsense. Needless to say, they did not get to draw up her will either. 

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon all,

 

Hope that all is progressing well for Dave's dad and fingers crossed for the right result of the surgery.  It always amazes me what the surgeons seem prepared to tackle nowadays as patients in their 90s on the orthopaedic ward often seem to come up in comments from the GD.

 

Anyway back to base and it remains cold - with occasional sleety snow showers having made an appearance this afternoon.  Good job we have chosen tomorrow for our outdoor activity as it is bone shaking cold outside today, I even finished up putting on a jacket for the walk from the back door to the dustbins,  about 8 feet ).

 

Now disposal of possessions is an interesting area and apart from any potential expert help what I suppose I ought to do is list the value (price I paid?) for various items of ephemera as they are more likely to need reserves at auction rather than model railway items where the market will decide their value at auction or through direct sale etc.  I have several publications fopr which I paid in excess of £100 and some for which I paid £200 and they should definitely not be undersold when disposal time arrives.

 

more general bookshelf contents are alasa different matter and will get m nowhere near what they cost except for rarer titles but even they need to be carefully lotted for sale through an auction and taht needs experise.  The same goes for the postcards but fortunately there is a reliable outlet available for them with well informed valuers offering their views in addition to what the market might decide.  I have wondered about trimming back the postcard collection as it is probably a little bit wide in terms of subject matter as some of the LMS and LNER constituents don't interest me over much although railway owned ships and official pictorial issues area different matter as they fit other collecting themes..  French language editions of official L&YR post cards havea certain je ne sais quoi as far as I'm concerned!

 

Nothing else of any note, or not of any note, to report.  Have a good day one and all and stay safe.

[J. S. Bach]

8 hours ago, grandadbob said:

G ...snip... Trouble is I'm still ordering and buying stuff,  maybe I should stop doing that?......especially as I'm not even doing anything with it all at the moment....it's just sitting there all lonely in The Shed! ...snip...

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

Welcome to the club! I have two pre-orders in for a Dapol BR streamlined railcar and a Freightliner class 66 (both 7mm scale) and I really do not model UK railroads!

Edited April 6, 2021 by J. S. Bach

[J. S. Bach]

8 hours ago, Barry O said:

 ...snip... Like @New Haven Neil I have some keepsake momentos from modellers I have known. While they are not the best models it is nice to remember people for their help, advice and excellent workmanship. ...snip...

Baz

Same here, and there are a few more that I wish that I had, just for that reason.

 

 

8 hours ago, Barry O said:

 ...snip... Stay safe.. the light is visible at the end of the tunnel!

Baz

Careful, that just might be the oncoming  locomotive!

 

Edited April 6, 2021 by J. S. Bach
To correct a spelling error.

[AndrewC]

7 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

Welcome to the club! I have two pre-orders in for a Dapol BR streamlined railcar and a Freightliner class 66 (both 7mm scale) and I really do not model UK railroads!

I could spill the beans on how much I have pre ordered on both sides of the Atlantic but if I did I’d have to terminate everyone on this forum to prevent the info falling into enemy hands.  <joking> 

It involves go faster leaning trains, CP steam locos, 7mm coaches, and more.