Early Risers.

[sixoh8sixoh]

Morning all.

 

Phil, my condolences too. 

 

Edinburgh weather report. Dry at the moment.  Sunrise: sometime soon. Maybe.

[grandadbob]

Sorry to hear of your partner's mishap Dave.

 

ER's families & friends seem to be suffering more than their fair share of trials & tribulations of late!

[Gruffalo]

After a grand total of 820mm of rain, I am pleased to inform you that I have cancelled my order for a replica of the Ark. I was going to build one, sourcing suitable ply from a well known Wokinghan refuge centre but alas the sun has decided to make an appearance and dry things out....

 

Some minor water damage but we got off quite lightly compared to others.

 

On the downside...My dear mum passed away 2 days ago. It was not unexpected as we had previousily been told that she had only 6 to 12 months to live. A blessing was that passed away in her sleep.

 

Regards

Best wishes to you and yours Phil. Going during sleep is clearly the best way for your mother (as it was for mine), there is none of the horrible panic that can happen when awake.

[Shedman5]

Morning,Dry and some sunshine! A few things to do inthe garden today given the weather of which one is to lop a branch off a cherry tree. Thankfully said branch will be felled by manual saw as its not to thick rather than chainsaw.

 

Chainsaws have to be the most scary piece of garden equipment in my opinion, despite having used one many times I never feel comfortable which is probably a good thing!

 

Have a good day all

[Oldddudders]

Morning all

 

Where to start? Phil C - condolences, and as Sherry said, yer mum is yer mum. Mine was 62 when she went - much missed for years afterwards. Mick - that sounds ludicrous, so demanding a recount seems the minimum they would expect. Beast - the nightmare of nightmares. Sincerely hope everyone comes out if it ok. Deb's accident in 2008 only injured her, but the multiple fractures (at least 25) all healed ok except the knee. The helicopter indicates severity, but not necessarily criticality.

 

On a lighter note, DD's listing of getting to the airport reminds me "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a puncture and a flat battery"!

 

Blustery, rainy, but 10 degrees at 0900 GMT.

[Tony_S]

Phil, glad to read the weather is less extreme. My mother fell asleep and didn't wake up one morning. She spent most of her life being terrified of death but the end was peaceful. She hadn't got round to eating her midnight snack, she was one of those people who was worried about "night-time starvation",

 

Dave, I think after the shock of the crash there is the shock of the "what if?".  

[grandadbob]

I think I will take it easy today & do some modelling play with some trains.

 

Ha!   Just been looking at the layout for the first time in a couple of weeks and wondering whether a thick layer of dust can be called weathering or does it signify dereliction of duty on the domestic front.

I think I know what "She" would say!

 

Off to get the Dyson!

 

Bob.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Firstly condolences to Phil and I hope things look up for Dave and his good lady.  Damp weather here and Henry landed on the bed at about 08.00 demanding instant drying and wouldn't shut up until he had been suitably towelled.  Apparently today is a Tesco day - so I'm told.

 

Mick that gas charge sounds ludicrous, I wonder if they missed out a full stop between the 8 and the 7?  Our charge is £55 per month and the gas is powering the central heating plus some of the cooking and occasionally the hot water if too many folk want baths/showers in the late evening after the sun has gone to bed - and that is in a 4 bedroom house.  If you are in a rented property my first call would be the landlord fiddling the meter.

 

And back to airport security.  Long before the modern arrangement of lowly paid poorly trained folk existed I regularly used to have problems with the plain clothes officers who stood several paces behind the Immigration Officers - it was literally easier to get into an Iron Curtain country than it was to get back into England.  On the occasion of a 'Christmas LDC meeting' in Boulogne I was detained briefly at the hoverport heading outwards until one of my Drivers came and grabbed me by the collar and pulled me off to the hovercraft leaving two startled SB officers wondering what had happened, on another occasion while technically on duty on a BR organised work trip, I was taken out of the queue at Harwich and put in a room with a two-way mirror 'while a few things are checked sir' plus interesting looks on various occasions at Gatwick, and at the Hook of Holland my name was checked in a large book before I was allowed in.  I got totally fed up with these assaults on my dignity and finally got part of an answer at Harwich - seemingly a member of Black September (remember them?) occasionally used a forged UK passport with a name very similar to mine and as the surname is fairly rare it was enough to stick in the average Immigration Officer's mind.  Presumably in the end said miscreant went out of circulation as my troubles ceased - and I hope they stay ceased.

[DDolfelin]

You're not him are you, Mike?

[Sidecar Racer]

Morning all ,

 

 damp and dismal again .

 

 Condolences to Phil on his loss , and a speedy conclusion for Beast's problems after what sounds

like a nasty accident .

 

Not sure what I'll be doing today , or what is left of it at this hour , there must be something but how

hard I look is another matter .

 

 I think I will have another coffee while I ponder .

 

Have as good a day as circumstances permit .

[gordon s]

Morning guys.  Sad to read of your loss Phil.  I've seen the flooding in Queensland on TV and from memory you were near Rockhampton? so may have been impacted by the floods.  Hope you managed to stay dry.  Thoughts are with you Dave on your partners accident.  Sometimes it's a very narrow line we tread.

 

Encouraged to see it's not just me with the glums.  Been feeling flat for a couple of months now and the shock of Dave Shakespeare's news has made me reflect on my own life and well being.  Of course compared to other's I have nothing to worry about, so hoping the 'happy switch' will turn on any day now.  Golf has helped in as much it's got me out of the house and into social situations plus no alcohol since Jan 1 means I've lost the best part of a stone in weight.

 

Eldavo and GMR are here Thursday to bash away at 18 holes, so that will be fun.

 

Had a call this morning that our Eggheads show is scheduled for the 21st February.  Hopefully you'll all have forgotten by then....

[Oldddudders]

This time last year we were getting the house ready for works including installation of a stairlift, which was commissioned at the beginning of May. Deb went on hols in England on 7th August, never to use it again, so it had three months use. The firm who manufactured and installed aren't interested in taking it out. Another lot advertise secondhand ones - but they can't handle this model, they tell me. So it's junk. And we paid £6.5 k for it less than a year ago. Doh!

[Rugd1022]

Afternoon all,

 

Phil - sad to hear of you losing your Mum, condolences to you and family and I hope the memories you have of her will help get you through. We lost our Mum twenty years ago this month and she's in our thoughts every single day -  these memories do get stronger and don't fade away.

 

Beast - likewise, I hope everything works out ok.

 

Distinctly wet round these parts today not to mention 'a bit blowy', and I noticed yesterday afternoon there was still some snow lying in the shadows alongside the Midland Mainline, especially in the cuttings. Plenty of evidence of thawing around Wellingborough and Bedford though, the flooding always seems particularly bad in these low lying places.

 

Of to Bescot later to hide in the bus shelter on the station until my train comes in... ;-)

 

Have a good day folks.

Edited January 29, 2013 by Rugd1022

[Debs.]

Thank you. Some real money would be a good idea. I suspect I may have thought about it before I went but I can add "get dollars" to my to do list now. When I went to the US last I made sure that I had enough cash for a tank of fuel and a meal just in case we were somewhere that didn't take cards.

 

..........or to give a well-earned gratuity (to a 'red-cap' or waitress etc.).

[DonBradley]

Oh dear. The problem with our increased 'membership' is the increase in friends with troubles.

Beast, best wishes for a reasonable conclusion to your partners accident. It sounds horrific.

I've already commiserated with Phil.

Gordon. GET BACK TO Eastwood! That's an ORDER.

Mean while I am sheltering from a 33C degree heat with no wind.

[NGT6 1315]

Phil, may I just add my condolences as well... I but agree that leaving in her sleep sounds like a peaceful and dignified closing note to the book of life.

 

Dave – that sounds like it could have resulted in tragedy indeed. Touch wood none of us will ever be involved in a similarly bad accident.

[Debs.]

I`m sure that most RM-web`ers know that I`m a 'Collie person'........they are my dear-friends, a hobby, and my 'charges', and I take my responsibility to them VERY seriously.........We try to be good-ambassadors for the Border Collie breed; with polite, sociable-temperaments and studious and well-trained behaviours.

 

Over the years we have perfected some impressive behaviours; which often involve great self-control on the part of my Clever-Collies........for example: the sit, stay and individual recall, (not that unusual, some might say) but I take immense pride in being able to accomplish it from 400-500 metres distance on the beach!

I have discovered the only distance limitation, is how far I can clearly bellow their names!..........and with cupped hands in a cross-wind; it`s generally about 400 metres but with the wind behind me, the recall-distance is often far greater.

I randomise the order in which I recall them, and (of course) it means that the latter 'callees' have a self restrained, ever-more pensive wait, whilst those a`fore go the distance.

I mention this, because today, we were congratulated by several people on the beach who have seen us regularly training and just wanted to say thankyou for showing how a "dog and owner relationship should be"..........so, please indulge me a moment of (uncharacteristic) pride as I say a huge thankyou to my dear and very-clever Collies.

 

We also practice our distance-work on grass.......look VERY carefully; they are laying together, awaiting the call!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DDolfelin]

Errr - I think they might have sloped off while your back was turned, Debs.

 

"means I've lost the best part of a stone in weight."

... and doubtless some golf balls too.

[grandadbob]

Debs,

 

I'm having a "Nelson" moment.

 

"I see no ships collies!"

[Tony_S]

I`m sure that most RM-web`ers know that I`m a 'Collie person'....... 

After our walk today I can see the attraction of Collies. Spaniels like Robbie are very good at responding to their human at great distances including out of sight but there is the problem of sometimes their huge nose over-rides their tiny brain. He suddenly left the footpath, ran down the side of the dyke and round the back of a pump house and started eating something. He had no intention of returning so I followed and dragged him off something very unpleasant of human origin.

[Debs.]

Errr - I think they might have sloped off while your back was turned, Debs.

 

Look again.......`really carefully!

[DDolfelin]

Are you sure they are Border Collies and not Maginery Collies?

[Debs.]

 

Debs,

 

I'm having a "Nelson" moment.

 

"I see no ships collies!"

 

The clues are there!

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Lovely, Debs. 

 

My collie - caring friends do obedience and agility with their two, Doona is as good as gold, young Ffinlo less so...but he's only two.  He is a free spirit though, maybe too clever for his own good.

[grandadbob]

I thought that was dust on my screen!