Early Risers.

[DDolfelin]

Still debating Perth Show tomorrow, will say hi to Mick if I can spot him (if I feel up to going).

 

 

I'm sure he'll be grateful to you.

The more bugs one catches, the better the future immunity (I'm told).

[Ian Abel]

I’ve just realized that we have 75 people coming to dinner on Sunday. I am assured that a 30’ by 20’ Dining Room is sufficient because it will be buffet with seven round tables instead of one long one.

 

Of course our second floor A/C decided to quit today............wait for tech tomorrow (it’s the compressor, even I figured that out).

 

Best, Pete.

Pete, hopefully the "assurances" will work out - my quick mental arithmetic challenge suggested to me that you'll have 10+ people per table and those tables need to be "quite large", in addition to the buffet table(s) if they are in the same room!! Best of luck with that

 

On to ... ... ... POETS day. Yay!!!

Last night more frantic messing with slideshow software, and I think I'm close to a decent first cut. The rush is so we can take the "show" to our friends this weekend.

 

We're off to Iowa this afternoon, about 200 miles drive, to visit friends who moved there - to return to where the Mrs of the couple grew up. Ailing family has them moving back there to be close.

Will be a good weekend with 5 of us (sixth member of our 25+ year group was the lady who died in January <sigh>), we try and get together every month or so, but first time we've all been down to the Iowa "displaced persons"...

 

Work on the porch continues well, the "lovely young man" certainly gets on better/faster than I do, then again he's being paid so doesn't hang about on these things!

 

Going to do a quick runner to the local service station and have them do an oil change, then wash the car, before our trip, and expecting to POE, hopefully about 4PM

 

Currently 18, partly cloudy and another very nice day shaping up, although a chance of light rain later...

 

Have a good weekend if I don't managed to get on while gone...

[Killybegs]

Good news Jock.

 

Back home in a sunny Ireland. well it is today. It was a bit damp driving up from Dublin yesterday. Fortunately traffic was reasonably light and I was home before Steph. The dogs were pleased to see me, as was Steph, of course, she'd been late leaving work.

 

The motorhome has been emptied, cleaned and washed and put away ready for the next trip, which will probably be to go in for its CVRT (commercial MoT). 

 

Currently putting my feet up before getting on with my next job. The garden looks as though it could keep me occupied for some time!

[petethemole]

Went out earlier than usual today and had a pub lunch, rather spoiled by the breaking news on the pub TV screen. Now I'm home it appears to be getting worse.

 

Today was Sports Day at M's school during which he managed to read most of Wee Free Men. Not sporty, my lad. His work experience starts next Monday, two weeks in a large charity shop.

 

Glad to hear Jock's treatment is working. Hope Tony's procedure goes well and produces the desired result.

 

Enjoy your collective afternoons and evenings.

 

Pete

[trisonic]

Why is it on RMWeb that there is usually snide remarks about Londoners? Today it appears on the NR debacle.

 

Well, I’m proud to have been born in London - Highbury to be exact.

 

The Greater London population (that “gets all the rail investment”) stands at 8.4M almost exactly the same population as Wales and Scotland combined.....

 

Perhaps London should seek independence from everyone else?

 

I haven’t forgotten my roots in Scotland but everyone should get this stuff into proportion.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited June 26, 2015 by trisonic

[Tony_S]

Back home too! Under orders not to do anything that requires coordination or is legally binding for 24 hours!

We arrived in plenty of time at the Royal London Hospital, which is opposite Whitechapel Underground station. The procedure went well, the endoscopist applied just the right amount of sedation. Various samples and a polyp were removed and there was much discussion about another odd intestinal feature but the opinion seemed to be probably nothing to worry about (so I am not). So I suspect it will be good enough for the trial change in medication. That discussion will be in late July.

Tony

[Judge Dread]

Some good news from me for a change:

 

The Cousin who has been investigated for Lung Cancer for the last nine weeks and was due for another 'bronchoscopy and scan' yesterday has been told by the Consultant that there is the possibility that the symptoms arose from an infection where he had TB as a child.

Not confirmed yet but it's looking hopeful.

(In the meantime of course they've had nine weeks of torture, including flying relatives back from all over the world - but ... it could be great news).

 

Tickets went on sale for Annie's Head Shaving function (on 25th July) yesterday and are already half sold - a full house is expected by tomorrow.

Folk were calling at the house while I was still in my dressing gown.

Raffle prizes have started arriving including an £85 Free Will from my solicitor (which I'll auction) and a stupendous set of screwdrivers, also worth £85.

A retired Florist is preparing a large bouquet for Annie (and there is wine) on the night.

It's going well.

 

(I'll put the last bit on the Annie thread).

I admire the head shaving as a worthy gesture and hope loads of money is collected. My youngest daughter did the same a couple of months ago to try and support her aunt who was dying with breast cancer which was spreading through her body. It reached her kidneys unfortunately at the end of last month and she died during the first week of this month. 

You may find a reference to my daughter Helen in Facebook, she goes as Squil Thompson.

 

I hope the address I've given above is correct, as I don't do such things. It took me a couple of years to master e-mailing!!!

Edited June 26, 2015 by Judge Dread

[BoD]

Afternoon all

(First time I've ever typed that on ERs I think)

 

I'm still around Six Oh (you don't mind me calling you by your first name do you?) but lurking more than posting at the moment. And yes I'm nearing the final countdown now.

 

Great news from Jock and hopefully now Tony.

 

There would be little point me shaving my head, time has taken care of that for me, but like others I have the greatest admiration for those who do so to raise funds, and particular admiration for friends and colleagues who do it to lend moral support to those who have no choice. I've seen a whole class at a school do it once.

 

It's a sort of long weekend for me as I'm back to the eye place on Monday to see if the increased med has worked and, hopefully, to find out that the op has worked. It seems to have done so and I would be delighted if it wasn't for the unexpected huge rise in the internal pressure.

 

Have a great weekend one and all.

[Smiffy2]

Well, seeing all the above I am embarrassed to mention anything as crass as money, but I've just got the car back. £951.

Two springs, shocks, tyre, balancing and aligning and a service. And a good look-over according to Andy the mechanic. (Dave's on paternity leave).

 

But I'm not dead, or even worse, surviving whilst others of the family are. Apparently at motorway speeds the resulting accident wouldn't have been likely to be survivable anyway. So money well spent.

 

Best wishes to all those having medical 'issues' and Pete, I'm about to go and have a look at that thread!

[roundhouse]

Why is it on RMWeb that there is usually snide remarks about Londoners? Today it appears on the NR debacle.

 

Well, I’m proud to have been born in London - Highbury to be exact.

 

The Greater London population (that “gets all the rail investment”) stands at 8.4M almost exactly the same population as Wales and Scotland combined.....

 

Perhaps London should seek independence from everyone else?

 

I haven’t forgotten my roots in Scotland but everyone should get this stuff into proportion.

 

 

Best, Pete.

 

I often hear the same thing. I am not a true Londoner as parents from the North West, born in Wales and lived my younger years in Somerset.

 

What people often forget is not only is the Greater London population huge, the geographic location of London means that many people living elsewhere in the country will pass through London making the number of people travelling on public transport even more congested.

 

I do want to see the investment in rail around the rest of the country so I can travel to those places more easily.

 

 

Another day working from home.

 

No more news from our friend apart from that he did have a minor stroke but is due home today. Thoughts are with him and his family.

 

Had to pick up a parcel from the post office so a good opportunity to come into our favourite pub in town which serves Harvey's ales.

 

Tomorrow we go to see my other half mum who is now out of hospital then see her dad who is still in hospital.

 

Might squeeze in a visit to Gaugemaster if we have time.

[45156]

Just home and coffee'd - Sandy has to have a test today where they dilated her pupils so she couldn't drive, so I left work early to find that there'd been an accident in the road works on the A38 in Brum. So queues and diversions. Got there and to the hospital early, and straight in. This is all due to her diabetes - runs in the family.

 

Results by post to doc, so we'll have to wait.

Oh yes, that's every diabetic's favourite process - dpending on how heavy handed they are with the drops, it can be miserable for some time afterwards, as many of the diabetics on here can verify.

 

Lily's  back from the vet's and her ear infection is still causing a problem, but the opinion is that it is likely to be yeast mainly, rather than bacterial, but swabs will tell what the true situation is, and we'll take it from there.

Edited June 26, 2015 by 45156

[New Haven Neil]

YOUR rain is here now!

 

Sorry about that, but it's 23c here now, although windy.  23c here counts as a tropical heatwave......

[jamie92208]

Evening all from a very warm farm in the Landes.  Not a lot to report today apart from a trip to out hostess's parents where her 91 year old dad and his wife of 62 years are virtually self sufficient with ducks, hens, rabbits , fruit and veg all from the garden.  Hospitality as good as ever with an aperitif with morning coffee at 10.30am.   Then back here and an afternoon in the shade trying to escape the 33 degree heat.   We've just been down to shut half the doors on the chicken sheds and in about an hour an a half (at 9pm, our host will come in from working on the farm.  He works every day from 6.30pm till 9pm though with an hour for lunch, then after dinner back to finally close the chickens up at 10.30. 

 

Tomorrow we're off to a very rural gite in the Charente region with cognac on tap on a local farm.  Though I'm hoping I might get a pass out or two to see the south west main line between Poitiers and Angouleme and hope to get chance to take some photos of the new LGV from Tours to Bordeaux that's under construction.  Some OHLE is up and a lot of track appears to be down.  We even saw some construction trains moving on the way south so hopefully some pics in due course.

 

Regards to all and good news about Jock.

 

Jamie

[emt_911]

Only just got in so POETS didn't happen.

 

I'll catch up on todays posts when I've had a chance to eat

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I don't have a blue disabled badge but I know of a few who do and most if not all do need one. Perfectly able people who use the disabled parking spots really annoy me so its great to see one of them get his comeuppance >>

[colin penfold]

Can't believe plod let him drive off with virtually no vision! Didn't see him get a parking ticket either

[Coombe Barton]

I am now being officially silly.

 

We're getting new laptops (despite mine being only a year old) and the new ones are lower spec. All the Macs bought because they were more reliable are also going.

 

So I'm putting Mac Logo screen wallpaper on the new laptop.

 

And I;m still buying a Mac for me for my 65th in September.

[PhilJ W]

I am now being officially silly.

 

We're getting new laptops (despite mine being only a year old) and the new ones are lower spec. All the Macs bought because they were more reliable are also going.

 

So I'm putting Mac Logo screen wallpaper on the new laptop.

 

And I;m still buying a Mac for me for my 65th in September.

What's going to happen to the old ones?

[Coombe Barton]

What's going to happen to the old ones?

They're going to be 'redeployed'.

[PhilJ W]

Can't believe plod let him drive off with virtually no vision! Didn't see him get a parking ticket either

What really annoys me was his attitude, no contrition whatever. If I had been that cop he would have got a ticket for dropping litter as well.

[Ian Abel]

Caveats prior to the post;

i) I know plenty of folks have medical issues which certainly rank highest amongst any concerns and I am always admiring the spirit those folks have in handling their lives.

ii) I accept plenty of folks have jobs that mean they have members of the public lives' in their hands

iii) I'm sure several folks have seen similar situations and are grateful to have come through them

iv) I know some folks consider pilots glorified bus drivers (no disrespect to bus/train drives etc.) but the difference that third dimension makes means they are more likely to truly have the lives of their passengers in their hands than pretty much all other modes of public transport operators

 

 

I just got off the phone with Jemma, she'd called to "check in" since she figured I may be wondering why her schedule had changed and that she'd texted me the change at 3AM!!

They had a schedule change yesterday and ended up flying their last leg of the day from Seattle to Denver, and they flight inbound was already running two hours late, so they departed later than expected with an arrival into Denver around 11PM.

 

For the first time in her brief career flying she was "terrified" on her flight last night!

 

When they got to Denver, the airport was reporting/suffering severe wind shears in the order of 30-40+ mph 1,000ft. off the runway.

Result was EVERYTHING was making missed approaches, most of them multiple times.

 

Their first approach the tailwind component went above the company maximum even with the 12,000+ ft. runways in Denver, on go around they were almost at an overspeed condition with the engines at flight idle AND a 10 degree nose up condition - this is severe. Second approach was pretty much the same except the overspeed warning went into the "yellow" warning area, they diverted.

The Delta flight behind them experienced severe overspeed which will result in the entire plane being grounded for a complete airframe check.

 

Both attempts were, she said, pretty terrifying (this from a pilot who doesn't mind flying in turbulence and actually enjoyed instructing in those condition!!) and that was for the folks FLYING the plane. The captain said he'd not seen such bad wind shear before himself, the cabin crew and pax were pretty shaken time they got to Grand Junction, Colorado. A few of them decided NOT to get back on the plane (all the crew wished they'd had THAT option!!). They refueled and returned to DEN 2 hours later and landed without incident.

 

I can't quite imagine the responsibility involved and not being able to say "..hell with this I'm done for the day..." as I'm sure most of us have done before when work gets a little pear-shaped!

Certainly might prompt lesser folks to consider a career change - just wanted to post this as I am both grateful she and her crew handled it AND that she is safe and wants to continue serving the public!

 

It's these sorts of situations I wish the whiners on commercial flight knew about/would consider when they complain about flight crews...

Edited June 26, 2015 by Ian Abel

[colin penfold]

Interesting one there Phil. I must confess that when I get stupid leaflets under my windscreen I just chuck them on the floor. It's usually in supermarket car parks and I reckon the littering is done by the person who inflicted the leaflet on me. I also reckon it's up to the supermarket to clear up the mess, that might stop them allowing the leafletters to operate.

 

In this instance I think the TV company ought to have cleared up after themselves (and hopefully did)

[andyram]

Evening all and thanks to Jock for the kind words. I agree with others in saying I hope you will contributing to ER for quite some time to come. In answer to your question, Sarah did get on with mum when we first got together. Her attitude changed whilst we were living in the damp riddled bungalow. She is as stubborn as a mule and there is no changing her attitude at the moment. She wants me to speak to my mum about the "situation" but I really don't see there being a situation to discuss.

On the subject of the bungalow, this weekend marks one year since we escaped that horrible temporary situation and moved into our brand new house. We are planning a meal tomorrow night to celebrate, providing Sarah's mood improves. I arrived home this evening with the news that I have an interview for the internal promotion. It will be next Tuesday afternoon. Before then I have been asked to produce an action plan for the next year's targets in the department. This will form the basis of the interview content. In addition all staff are expected to attend the summer fair event tomorrow. Sarah's reaction - "there goes my weekend" and bemoaning the lack of "help" I provide around the house. The phrase "can't win" definitely springs to mind.

[emt_911]

Looks like it's been an interesting day to say the least

 

Tony - It sounds like things might improve a bit for you

 

Phil - There are many occasions that I'd like to see something similar happen.

 

Andy - It seems that whichever way you turn, you can't do the right thing at the moment. I really wish I could give some helpful advice but I normally get it totally wrong myself.

 

The Ginger Whinger was on the One Show this evening from Glastonbury. What sort of a muppet wears a jacket in this sort of heat. At least he looked really uncomfortable

[Happy Hippo]

 

 

 

'Both attempts were, she said, pretty terrifying (this from a pilot who doesn't mind flying in turbulence and actually enjoyed instructing in those condition!!) '

 

 

Gemma ain't bold, so she'll grow old!